Wrecked
by realjena
Summary: Destiny is a cruel mistress at times it would seem. But what if Her roadmap, even with all its twists and turns, was exactly what you needed? She just might lead you somewhere unimaginable. Rated M for language, lemons and some graphic scenes. Alternate universe.
1. Prologue

_**This was a originally a short story I had written titled "Katie Mae," though this prologue was not part of the original story. **_

_**I would like to thank Trogdor19 for being my beta/pre-reader/writing guru on this story. And for giving me wonderful pointers on this! If you haven't read any of her stories, you should! She is an amazing author with a wicked sense of humor and an amazing knack for how to describe things. Truly, check her out!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to L.J. Smith and the CW network. I just love me some Damon Salvatore (and Ian Somerhalder in general) and couldn't resist playing with him and the others for a bit.**_

_**Enjoy…**_

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In her wildest dreams, she never imagined she'd end up here. _With him_! Oh, but the way he made her body feel. Elena could have sworn she heard a choir of angels singing as his hands roamed over her body. Corny, childishly trite even, yet true. She had no idea being intimate with someone could feel so… she had no words. None. People wrote sonnets about moments like this; what could she, just out of her teens and damn near virginal, possibly say that could adequately describe what his talented hands were doing to her?

The craziest part was that she was still fully dressed. But still her body sung for him, and he played her like a master musician; her legs quivering like the strings on a violin, her percussion-like heart pounding out a thundering rhythm, her mewls and breathy sounds mirroring wind instruments, all driving her towards that magnificent crescendo every conductor strives for. Elena was rapidly discovering that in this universal age-old recital, there was no better performer than _him_.

His soft, full lips tracing her jaw line left a cold fire in their wake; the feel of his lips suckling her skin sent a white-hot jolt through her nerve endings, lighting her whole body afire. When he moved to deliver the next blissful kiss, his panting breaths fanned across the flaming area causing a deliciously-painful frostiness that make her nipples harden to diamond points. Never had she imagined that simple kisses to her face and neck could turn her into a quivering, moaning, puddle of desire – yet they absolutely did. And when his fingers inched just below the hem of her shirt, barely skimming her over sensitized flesh, the guttural groan and flood of moisture between her thighs terrified her. She scarcely recognized herself.

"I can feel how wet you are, Elena. God, you've soaked through both our jeans. _You're driving me crazy_!" he moaned against her neck as he nipped her greedily, causing another surge of the frigid blaze on her skin.

As his hand crept up her shirt slowly enough to be considered torture, a growling noise rumbled through his chest, reminding her of an approaching summer storm. The sound was so primal, so pure in its need, that it caught her completely off guard. _She had this god-like creature nearly unhinged!_ With a gasp and embarrassingly loud groan, her hips thrust forward off the bed as if they possessed a mind of their own. She ground against him shamelessly, desperate in her search for friction.

He was teetering on the edge of self control, knowing that the point of no return was dangerously near. His already near-consuming need for her had only grown over these last many months. Where she was once an interest that hovered on being obsessive, she was now a full-blown addiction; he couldn't fathom being without her now. If they took this much further, he'd die rather than give her up, of that he had no doubt.

"Elena, you have to stop me," he groaned against her delicate neck, letting what little valor he had win out momentarily. It was only his unwavering love for her that could cut through this all encompassing desire to be fully sheathed within her, to possess her in whatever way she'd allow him to. With all the women he'd bedded over his lifetime, he'd never experienced anything of this magnitude before Elena Gilbert and her molten-chocolate eyes seized his soul.

"God help me, Elena, if you don't tell me to stop now I won't be able to." He pulled his lips away from her silken skin and raised his eyes to lock on hers. "I've dreamt of this, of having you as mine and mine alone, every night since the day I met you. I swear I dream about it every fucking minute of the day lately. If you aren't sure, if you have even the slightest doubt about this, you have to stop me now. I'll never be able to go back to being 'just friends' if we do this."

He wasn't sure he'd actually _survive_ if he had to give her up after this, but he thought sharing that fact might put too much pressure on her. As much as he wanted her, he _needed_ her to come to him of her own free will. No regrets, no excuses, and no rationalizing her way out of it. If they did this, he'd never let her go.

"Please…" was all Elena could muster at that moment. Her body felt like it was going to spontaneously combust, her mind barely coherent through the lust-filled haze. She needed him. She wanted him. She just didn't know how to _tell_ him.

"Please what, baby? _Tell me what you need_!" he begged.

"_You_. God, I need you," she admitted in a quiet voice. "Make love to me, and then never let me go."

The resulting noise that arose from him was unlike anything either of them had ever heard. Later, once this inferno of need was extinguished, he would probably have a moment or two of humiliation for the sound – but right now his mind was only on her. It was a rumbling groan of emotion that was somewhere between a prayer and a strangled sob, and instantly made Elena's eyes prick with tears. Whether they were from the joy of finally being with him, guilt for denying him for so long, sadness over how they got here, or a combination of it all, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that she needed him, more than she'd ever needed anything in her life.

In a flurry of motion, their hands and lips by some miracle barely leaving one another's bodies, the clothes that prevented their fulfillment finally vanished. All that was left between them was precious little space and a few unspoken words.

They wouldn't have to wait long.

Time seemed to stop as she felt the thick tip of him nudging her slick center. His eyes found hers, his face full of an emotion she had no name for; no one had ever looked at her like that before this moment.

"I love you, Elena. I've loved you since the moment I met you, I just didn't know what the hell to call it then. I hate how we got here, but I could never regret _you_. You're everything I've ever wanted and so, so much more. Are you absolutely sure?"

He looked downright terrified as he awaited her response. Her heart both broke a little and melted just a touch at the love and vulnerability she saw shining in his beautiful eyes. She flexed her hips forward slightly, allowing him to barely enter her as she spoke the words that would seal the deal.

"I've never been more certain of anything in my life. I'm yours now…"

She'd barely finished speaking before he was pushing forward, a sob wrenching from him as he thrust. His lips found hers and he kissed her with everything he possessed. Elena gave as good as she got, relishing the feeling of them being joined so completely. Never had she felt so full, so whole. There was only one thing left for her to do; she couldn't let the moment continue without it. Reluctantly dragging her lips from his, she pushed his shoulders gently away from her so she could see him as she spoke.

"I love you, too, Damon. God, how I love you."

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_**I'll update soon, I promise, though I have no set update schedule for this. There's much more story to tell here, this is just the beginning. Warning – it will be a bit dark in parts and somewhat graphic; it won't stay that way forever. I hope you'll trust me.**_

_**Just please be patient with the updates, I have two other stories I'm working on and until they're finished the updates for this will be sporadic. I hope you'll find this piece worth the wait – it is, BY FAR, the story I am most proud of thus far.**_

_**Thanks for reading! Love and hugs to all!**_

_**Jen**_


	2. Coming To

_****Warning** This chapter is fairly graphic and a little dark. Stick with me please, there is a point to this.**_

_**** tukct81 made a wonderful point that an author's note to help explain a little would be helpful. I'd added one to the following chapter originally, but my dear friend is absolutely correct and so here it is… Please note that this chapter takes place two years before the prologue. I can't give away too many details yet, and this might get a little confusing for a few chapters. But please give it a chance – it will all make sense eventually. From this chapter forward, this story is building up to the prologue. Whether the story continues after the prologue will have to remain a mystery until then.**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I'm just going to seriously mess with them for a bit.**_

_**Thanks to my beta, Trogdor19, for her priceless input! She's amazing – check out her work.**_

…

_**Go on, it's okay… I'll wait. Her work is THAT GOOD!**_

_**Don't forget to check out tukct81. Her work is off the charts amazing as well!**_

_**Enjoy…**_

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_**Two years earlier…**_

The first sensation she became aware of was the zealous, searing agony in her legs. Gleeful knives followed her attempt at escape, shredding her flesh, sending white-hot lightning bolts of torture through her back and head. Her anguished cries swallowed by the din overloading her senses.

_Where is that screaming coming from? _

She fought to open her eyes. Dizzying panic besieged her.

_Where am I?_ _Who is screaming?_

Wild, haunted eyes searched the darkness for something familiar, finding nothing.

_What could have happened to me?_

Ragged and wet breathing sped as she twisted slightly for a better view, an unseen enemy blistering her delicate flesh stealing her breath. With a pitiful whimper, Elena began drifting away.

_Am I dying?_

Rapidly losing the battle for consciousness, she slipped into the unknown. A single, shrieking plea the last thing she heard.

_WHAT is that noise? _

"PLEASE!"

_Screaming…right. _

Elena's thoughts were fragmented as she clawed for the surface, snowed under by the foreign feelings and sounds enveloping her. She was desperate for answers, but couldn't open her eyes.

_Why won't they open? _

Concrete hands rose toward her face, she winced at the gremlins gnawing her skin. A fierce yet bizarre sensation, one she could hardly describe. Her right arm and shoulder ached with a force she didn't know was possible, a gasp of shock hissing through her teeth at the intensity of it. The left arm, however, was a curious thing; not painful, per se, just…

Finding no words for what she felt and desperate to avoid the nausea that accompanied using her right arm, Elena moved her other hand toward her face. Hurricane force dread raged deep within her when it never reached its destination.

_What the fuck is happening to me?!_

The outlandish sensation in her left arm baffled her. It burned, ached and strangely enough, it felt like it was… draining.

Giving up on the left, Elena lifted her right hand to her face, squelching the inferno within it as best she could.

_Why is my face wet and sticky?_

Continuing to feel about her face, she was terrified to discover that her eyes were in fact open, yet still she was sightless.

_What the fuck!? I can't be blind!_

The sting was excruciating as she turned her head to one side; bile blazed a path up her esophagus at its punch. Turning her head to the other, she realized that she could see a small light off in the distance.

_Oh, thank God! _

_I'm not blind! I'm just somewhere dark as coal._

Pacified slightly that she hadn't lost the use of her eyes, Elena began taking stock of her situation…

While the ache in her legs had abated slightly, the soul-tearing throbbing in her head and back were persistent in their severity. Finding a comfortable position for her battered body proved as difficult as finding a virgin in a whorehouse; she wiggled a little in search of some respite.

A breach rocketed through her lower extremities, rupturing her like a fault line in a quake.

_Something feels like it tore! Dear God, what is happening to me?! _

Elena battled the wave of dizziness and exhaustion threatening to drown her. It was a battle lost before it began. As she lapsed back into oblivion, a small part of her wondered, _how do I get this person to stop their screaming? It's freaking me the hell out! _

_Why do I have to keep waking up to this bone-chilling screaming?! STOP! It's not like they're the only one who's injured and scared! _

_STOP FREAKING SCREAMING!_

Not only was she disgusted at having to put up with all that screeching when she was already terrified, but she was getting sea sick to boot.

_Wait a minute… sea sick?! _

Elena's eyes popped open in horror when she realized that her whole body was shaking. Not the kind of quaking like being jostled to awaken you, but a total body convulsion. It was almost as if she were a gelatin mold in a room full of running children.

_What the hell is happening to me?! Is there an earthquake? And what the fuck is that sound? _

The thick, coppery taste of blood forced the truth upon her.

_I just bit my tongue! Holy crow, all that racket and shaking is me! I'm freezing and my teeth are chattering hard enough to shake my whole body! It's so terribly cold... I wonder if my mom would bring me blue blankie?_

Elena called out begging her mother to bring her favorite blanket, her heart plummeting with the realization she wasn't at home.

_Right... still don't know where I am. Gotta figure that out soon. _

_So cold. _

_So. Fucking. Cold._

_God I'm tired. And disgustingly sticky…_

_All I want is my warm bed and some sleep. Mommy, please help me! _

_There seems to be a bar, or something, right in front of my face. What the hell is that? _

_Okay… wait… it looks like there's a web-like pattern just beyond the bar. _

_WHERE the hell am I?!_

Elena struggled to remember what she'd been doing before she had awoken to find her legs being used as _Wolverine's _preferred scratching post. She remembered leaving her house earlier; her mother and she were fighting about something…

_Stefan, that's right! I was out with Stefan earlier. I wonder where he is. How could he have left me somewhere, alone, and hurt?_

Elena recalled her mother hadn't wanted her to go out tonight, citing a big storm was blowing in. But, NO WAY were Elena and Stefan going to miss the biggest party of the year, despite her mother's fears for her safety. So Elena had run out the front door straight to Stefan's car with her mother hot on her heels.

_I barely got the door shut before Stefan was speeding down my street._

She remembered with a guilt-ridden clarity seeing her mother in Stefan's side mirror, standing in the middle of the street, wailing after her to please come home.

_I'm so tired. And I really am freezing, and so very weak. Need…_

Elena closed her eyes warring with the need to rest, her strength gone. Drifting away she realized she still hadn't found Stefan or the source of the screaming. The oppressive darkness overwhelmed her, however, denying her answers.

"Elena, GET UP! ELENA! ELENA! You have to get yourself out of that car! You're dying!"

_But Momma, it's too cold, I'm scared. I've lost Stefan; I think he left me here. _

_Wait…_

_Dying?!_

_Car?!_

_Mother, what car?! _

Elena awoke from her dream with a terrible truth echoing through her skull mercilessly_. _

_Car accident… I've been in a CAR ACCIDENT! _

_Dear God, please save me._

_Stefan!_

He had been driving. Elena needed to find Stefan. She called out for him, but couldn't hear her own voice over the screaming. She wished whoever it was would shut the hell up so that she could find her Stefan!

A terrible thought occurred to her: _what if that screaming __**was**__ Stefan_?

She turned her head back to the left, fighting the urge to pass out from the stifling torture her movements caused as she searched for her love. As black and cold as death, her unknown prison taunted her with details as she barely made out a dark figure in the seat next to hers. It had to be Stefan. Steely jaws, hungry for her sanity, chomped mercilessly in their attempt to consume her.

_Momma, I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I wish I had stayed home… please, help me! _

With a heart-wrenching sob, unheard in the screeching darkness, Elena lost the battle with consciousness and was devoured by the abyss.

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_**Graphic, I know. And very dark. It will get a little worse before it gets better, but you can't know where you're going unless you know where you've been.**_

_**My sincerest thanks to everyone who's read, reviewed, followed or favorited this. Your desire for this little guy warms my heart!**_

_**Hope you stick around for the journey!**_

_**Love and hugs to all! Thanks for reading,**_

_**Jen**_


	3. Remembering

_****Important Author's note: I don't want to give too much away for this story by explaining too much of what's going on yet – but I will say that this is an alternate universe fiction. It would be safe to picture the characters the way they look on the show, but that's where the similarities end. I may use some references from the show, some minor events, but all in all, this is an original fiction using common characters that we know and love. I'm sorry if anyone is confused, but I really can't give too much without giving away the store. The only other thing I will say is that the prologue happens two years after chapter one. Everything in this story from chapter one forward (up to when the prologue occurs) is leading up to the prologue. This is the story of how they got to that moment (and maybe a little more, but I can't say what yet). Hope you'll stick around; I have big things planned for this!**_

_**Oh, I will say one more thing – I couldn't pick a better category than "drama" for this because I didn't want to give anything away. There's a lot more than drama that will happen here, I promise. There might just be passion, adventure and even a little danger ;)**_

_**Okay… one more thing too, lol. This is my first attempt at a third-person story, just to clear things up because I got a message about not specifying whose point of view the prologue and first chapter were in. I'm hope I'm doing that POV justice. ****_

_**Thanks to my beta Trogdor19 for her priceless input!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Enjoy…**_

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Flashes of bodies twisted sinfully, limbs entwined like they'd been crocheted together in a tapestry of desire, flitted behind her eyes as she dreamt. Kisses, soft sighs, and desperate groans filled her ears as her mind clicked through images like an old-school slideshow projector. Amongst the sounds of sex, she was vaguely aware of voices floating through the walls. A general sense of panic and urgency was apparent in the whispers and shuffles happening outside her sphere of lust.

Amongst these strange visions, Elena slowly crawled from her stupor, her memories becoming clearer. The party had broken up early due to the changing weather; it was maybe eleven o'clock when Elena and Stefan had left Tyler's Lockwood's house. As per usual, most of the school was in attendance for one of his shindigs. Tonight, however, there'd even been a band playing. Granted, it was just some local guys from the last graduating class, but still, they were really good and were rapidly gaining widespread acclaim. It was loud, crowded, messy… and everything a high school party should be!

_Everything, and oh so much more. _

After three years of dating, Elena and Stefan Salvatore had finally gone all the way. They'd laughed hysterically at seeing the impossibly huge waterbed in Ty's parents' room (who the hell still owned one of those?!), but retro or not, it served its purpose well. It was a night she would remember for the rest of her life. The pressure and foreignness of his initial entry aside, sex with Stefan had been magical. The way their bodies moved together - feeding off each other's energy, the sounds, the smells… it was the most intense experience of her life.

Elena finally understood why the French called an orgasm "la petit mort," for it certainly felt like she'd died a little as her climax rushed over her, rendering her deaf and blind momentarily. Elena had achieved a few orgasms alone, but had never found pleasure with another person. She'd always been too afraid to let Stefan explore her body much before tonight. She'd stopped nearly every of his attempts to go further than heavy petting over clothing and kisses with no tongue, only venturing beyond her comfort zone once or twice, each ending disastrously.

But sex with Stefan had been absolutely perfect in her opinion, and she didn't know whether to laugh or cry at how ridiculous she'd been and all the time she'd wasted by making them wait.

She opened her eyes suddenly, all the memories of the night flooding back to her at once…

Elena and Stefan had been the last people to leave Tyler's; they'd been experimenting with life and death in their little love nest when the party began to break up. When Elena and Stefan went downstairs to leave, they surprised the hell out of Ty. He'd thought they'd left and their sudden appearance while he was making a snack sent his sandwich and chips flying across the tiled kitchen floor.

Ty had all but begged them to stay, explaining how the weather had turned and was getting deadly, quickly. Stefan wholeheartedly agreed with their friend. But Elena wanted to get home, despite both boys' protests; in her mind she was in enough trouble with her mother already, so staying on that mountain for the night was not an option! After much debate, and _clearly_ stated objections, Stefan finally relented and agreed to drive them back to town.

Thankfully, she didn't have to share physical space with Stefan's hot asshat of an older brother, Damon, since he'd left the party before they'd gone up to Ty's parents' room. His absence brought only minimal joy, however, given that Damon had taken Caroline home with him. Elena hated the thought of that man being any further ingrained into her life that he already was; she had to put up with him to a certain extent, as Stefan's brother, but she certainly didn't want him more involved than _absolutely_ necessary. And God bless Caroline, whether she was Elena's best friend or not, she was really more concerned with how "hot" Damon was than what a colossal dick he truly was. Caroline had been sleeping with the elder Salvatore for months (as had many, _many_ other girls), just hoping that he'd eventually realize he was in love with her, and her alone.

_Fat chance on that!_ _Damon was a self-serving piece of shit with exactly zero redeeming qualities_, _he wouldn't know love if Cupid himself showed up and shoved one of his arrows straight through his chest! The rotten, soulless bastard would probably just think it was indigestion._

Damon and Elena had never gotten along, not once since the day they first met. They were like opposing magnets; pushing against each other, creating palpable tension between them any time they were in the same room. Damon had hit on Elena too, before finding out she was Stefan's new girlfriend.

"_You're kind of cute," he began with a leer within moments of meeting her. "A bit young, but eh, you'll do…" _

How could anyone so attractive on the outside be so ugly inside? He was the most beautiful thing Elena had ever seen. His eyes were such a gorgeous shade of blue, almost like a frozen lake, and so incredibly expressive. Damon's body was to die for; not overly muscle bound like those meat-heads you'd see at gyms, but well sculpted and all natural. He wasn't freakishly tall, nor was he short by any means. Truly, Damon Salvatore was the perfect male specimen. Until he opened his mouth. Once he spoke and the shear intensity of his assholeishness became apparent, even his physical perfection couldn't redeem him.

_Such a waste! _

The self proclaimed "older, hotter, brother" didn't take too kindly to Elena turning him down, nor did he find humor in the fact that someone he wanted was dating his younger brother. Instead, from that day forward he was a complete ass. He'd taken every available opportunity to make Elena as miserable or uncomfortable in his presence as possible, especially when it came to him putting up her "uppity ass" in Stefan's ride. He'd once told her scornfully that, "Someone with such a startling inability to have fun has no business in a machine that oozes sex and danger!"

_Sex and danger, from a car? Sure... Damon oozed more sex and danger than the car, and she certainly wouldn't be riding him, so… Gah! He's such an intolerable fuckwaffle! And he wonders why I turned him down flat?!_

Damon carried on a strange love affair with that car, one Elena didn't understand until earlier tonight. The Nova they'd been driving had originally been Damon's car; he had given it to Stefan for a birthday gift just a few weeks prior. Apparently the car had been handed down through the family and was a collector's item, one of Damon's prized possessions. Him giving it to Stefan was a gift of monumental proportions, and one that had touched Stefan in a way that shocked her. She'd never seen her boyfriend so grateful, so reverent about anything. And of course, it had to be something Damon gave him! She was surprised Stefan hadn't erected a statue in his brother's honor yet, he was so enthralled with _Damon_! Her belly warmed slightly thinking of how _Damon_ would blow a gasket when he found out the car was trashed, especially since he hadn't wanted them driving it home tonight in the first place.

_Well, at least if I have to be in pain, the accident will piss off that prick! It's not really a win-win, but at least my misery won't be a complete waste…_

Realizing she needed to get her and Stefan out of this mess, Elena marshaled herself to focus back on the accident…

On the way down the hill from Tyler's, Stefan had lost control of the car. _We didn't have crash then_, she remembered, _we even talked about going back up to Ty's_. But the roads were so bad, and Ty lived at the top of a wicked hill in the middle of nowhere, so they decided against it. Stefan didn't think the car would make it back up the mountain safely, and she had trusted his judgment.

_The roads weren't plowed, so we tried going very slowly down the hill_…

Elena remembered covering her eyes as the car started to slide again. She vaguely recalled hitting the guardrail with unimaginable force, causing enough noise on the desolate road to wake the dead.

_Momma, I'm sorry I went out tonight! I don't want to die! I wish I were home, safe and sound. God, I hope I get to see you again._

The pain and panic were too much for Elena. Even with her best efforts to fight against the growing darkness, she drifted away again.

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_**I'm new to this category of stories (I only have a TVD one-shot so far besides this), I normally write for True Blood/SVM; for those of you who don't know me, I don't ask for reviews. Personally, I don't want my readers to feel pressured to leave them, but I read and respond to each one given. On rare occasions, I don't log into the site fast enough and I lose a guest review, but I do appreciate every single thought left for my stories. Even ones that aren't praiseful. I truly hope you guys stick around for this.**_

_**Hope you enjoyed it! Love and hugs to all!**_

_**Jen**_


	4. Reality Sucks!

_**This is the last chapter of the accident itself. Thanks to everyone who's read, reviewed or added this story to your lists. You make my day.**_

_**Thanks to my beta Trogdor19 for her priceless input!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters (for which I'm sure many of you are glad right now...)**_

_**Enjoy…**_

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"ELENA, ELENA! Where are you?! ELENA, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

_Momma, here I am! I think we've gone off the road. _

_Ma, I don't know if Stefan is okay, and I'm hurt! I'm hurt real bad, and I need you so much! God, My body feels like it's on the tumble cycle in a dryer full of glass shards. I can't stand this pain!_

_Please, help me! _

_Mommy?_

Elena opened her eyes to find that she was still alone (mostly anyway considering Stefan's emotional state) and that she'd been dreaming again.

_I have to tell Stefan to stop screaming. I've got to calm him, comfort him. _

Elena began telling Stefan that everything was going to be okay, but she still couldn't hear her own voice over the screaming.

_I'll have to get myself loose so I can help him. First let's see what's going on with this traitorous left arm._

Elena lifted her right hand, ignoring the pain, trying to pry loose her obviously pinned left arm. She couldn't seem to find it. It wasn't where it should've been. Elena began to go to pieces.

_Where's my arm?_

She flailed wildly with her one working arm in search of her other.

_Nothing. _

_Nothing. _

_Oh dear God! Where's my fucking arm?!_

Elena looked around the car, half crazed with dread. A dim light caught her attention from the corner of her eye. Slowly she turned her head toward him, noting in some dark recess of her mind that he was a mere outline, hardly resembling a human being. For several long seconds nothing registered in Elena's mind, her thought processes more stuck than the damn window she'd accidently painted shut.

Realization trickled up her spine making her blood instantly freeze. She had to have been the one screaming all this time.

Stefan couldn't have been…

_STEFAN?! _

_STEFAN, NO!_

Stefan was covered in an impossible amount of blood, his eyes open and unseeing, his beautiful face contorted in an expression that was too terrifying to look at.

Her eyes falling shut far too late to unsee the unimaginable truth.

_My boyfriend's head is… is…_

_Completely fucking detached!_

_Holy shit! It's been severed at his neck, and is... _

_Is…_

_Sitting on top of the road sign sticking through the windshield. _

_Looking at me. _

_Silently screaming._

Shaking violently, Elena began crying with grief, pain, and fear.

_Stefan! Oh my poor, sweet, Stefan… we only just entered adulthood. Tonight changed everything for us. How am I supposed to survive without you now? _

_How could you fucking leave me?!_

She knew it was irrational to be mad at him for dying, she understood that on some baser level. But the resentment she felt knowing she was stuck in a wrecked car, during a snowstorm, with her dead lover the _very night_ she lost her virginity, was stifling.

Overwhelmed with the intensity of her emotions, she felt herself slipping away again. Hot flames of despair burned her veins as a haunted, garbled plea for help spewed from her lips.

_Momma, I'm here, right here. Please help me! _

_Stefan's dead! I don't know what to do... _

_I don't want to die here alone. _

_Mommy, PLEASE!_

In the blissfully ignorant seconds before she fully regained consciousness, she was able to forget where she was. Sighing contentedly, she snuggled deeper into her bed trying to warm herself up. Elena felt the softness of her flannel sheets, smelled the comforting fabric softener her mom favored, and relished in the comfort of _home_.

Strange sounds and vibrations filled her senses, rousing her from her reprieve as her eyes slowly opened. A deafening humming enveloping her, a grinding and pulling that seemed to shake her to the core.

"Miss, you're going to be okay. We're here, you're not alone sweetie. We're working to get you out of there just as quick as possible."

Elena's eyes flew open at the strange voice hoping she wasn't delusional, the experience finally claiming the last of her sanity.

_Great, just great! Dead boyfriend, useless arm, fucked up legs, AND I've lost my marbles…_

_Fucking ducky. _

The blinding light directed at the car startled her, her common sense gone with the sudden illumination. She knew not to look but she was possessed, powerless to stop herself from turning toward Stefan.

A new wave of sadness hit her with the full, lighted view of her first love.

_Stefan, oh God. Stefan! _

_I loved you so, so much. I'm so sorry I wanted to leave Tyler's. This is all my fault! _

_You can't be dead! _

_Stefan, I love you._

Elena looked toward the men working to free her ready to plea for release from the metal tomb when a strange shape on her lap caught her attention.

_Oh my God! Stefan's arm is in my lap. Oh, Stefan._

Elena practically vibrated with the need to remove the piece of her lost love from her body as her stomach rolled violently. Reaching for the severed limb, her right arm protested horribly, but still worked. But her other arm was still uncooperative.

_Wait, there's light now. Let's see what the hell is going on..._

If she lived past tonight, she knew she'd never escape the nightmares caused by the sight that awaited her. Her shoulder was mangled. There was a long, partially dried, bloody stain that ran down her body – where her arm should have been.

The detached arm in her lap was hers.

_I've lost my arm. _

_HOLY SHIT! _

_Dear God! I've lost my arm!_

Elena was staring slack-jawed at the severed arm in her lap when she noticed something else. Edges of ripped fabric and a ghastly amount of blood caught her attention just past her detached arm. Her eyes following the macabre scene forward, she promptly vomited at the horror before her.

_Oh dear God! Heaven help me, PLEASE!_

Her young, shapely legs were now nearly indistinguishable as human limbs, looking more like ground meat. The dash of the old Nova was flattened and had squashed her legs. A realization, colder than the night outside, nibbled at her mind, relentless like the wind howling around her.

_The pain is gone, because my legs are gone! _

_The tearing earlier was my legs severing! Oh dear God. _

_Mother, HELP ME!_

Elena screamed, though no sound escaped her. She looked at the man nearest her window, her panic so thick it threatened to consumer her completely. Her voice a broken plea, haggard as a two pack a day smoker when she rasped, "Help me".

"We're trying to get you out of there, darling. We'll have you out in no time. Please tell me your name, honey."

Elena swallowed hard, "Elena Gilbert, sir."

"Grayson and Miranda Gilbert's girl?" he asked, visibly shocked.

"Yes," Elena ground out barely above a whisper.

The man simply gaped at her for several long seconds. "Miranda Gilbert called us, crazed. Ranting that she just knew her daughter was in trouble out here on this lonely road. We all thought she was nuts! She just kept calling and calling… so we finally agreed to take a drive out and have a look."

Elena tenuous hold on consciousness was fading fast, her eyelids lead balloons. She struggled to listen, fought desperately to stay awake, knowing how bad it was for her to sleep when she'd lost so much blood.

She feared even if she won the battle, she'd already lost the war.

"Honey, you stay with me now. Elena! Your momma is just getting here, you stay with us," the man pleaded, noticing her rapid decline.

Elena could hear her mother's frantic screaming as Miranda ran toward the car. Desperate for the comfort only a mother can give, Elena began speaking, praying her mom would hear.

"Momma, I'm so sorry! Oh God, I love you! Ma, look at Stefan! Momma, I'm so, so sorry!"

Elena's energy stores were thoroughly depleted; she was far too tired and weak, her eyes pricked with fresh tears as her voice failed her. Miranda reached into the mangled car to stroke her beloved daughter's face, offering any amount of solace she could.

"Elena, don't you worry now. It's all going to be okay. We loved you from the day you were born, and we'll love you long after this. I heard you, baby girl! Somehow I heard you calling to me, and I'm here now. I love you. It's all okay now, my sweet baby girl, be still."

Miranda's tears flowed faster than a raging current as she looked upon her gravely injured child. A strangled sob wrenched itself from Miranda's throat, at the realization this was probably the last time she'd speak to her beloved daughter.

"I love you, baby. I love you so much! You'll be okay, honey, you'll see."

Fighting against the invading blackness, Elena mustered all her remaining strength to say goodbye to her momma.

"Momma, I love you. Thank you for finding me. I wanted to see you just once more. To say I'm sorry. I love you, Momma."

Elena closed her eyes, letting herself drift away, resigned to her fate.

She dreamt of home.

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_**Hopefully you all don't hate me right now! Yes, I totally killed off Stefan. Sorry to any Stefan lovers out there, it's not that I hate the guy or anything, but it was necessary for the story.**_

_**Wonder how she and Damon will get along now? Betcha he's gonna be pissed his brother's dead…**_

_**Please stick around, things pick up from here.**_

_**Thanks for reading! Love and hugs to all!**_

_**Jen**_


	5. Oh, Brother

_***** I'm giving you guys two chapters in one day to help relieve some issues with my readers. I've gotten a few interesting private messages (yes, there's some sarcasm there) and want to assure everyone that I do, in fact, have a plan. After these not so nice, anonymous messages, I've disabled unsigned PM's from my profile. I'm thinking that if you're going to attack a girl, you might want to give her the opportunity to defend herself. If not, I see no reason to hear "anonymous" out. Perhaps that's just me. I want to thank everyone who's left reviews (good or bad) and those who've sent me messages regarding this that made sure to use their screen names. I think constructive comments are wonderful tools and I realize not everyone agrees on what constitutes a good story, but I kindly ask you that if you're going to be insulting or degrading please just don't continue reading or keep your thoughts to yourself (or at bare minimum, give me the opportunity to contact you in return, otherwise it could be considered a cowardly act). No one deserves to be attacked for having the guts to put their work out in public. You don't like my story? Fine. I can totally accept that. You want to call me horrible, rotten names and attack me? Not so fine. It's bullying, classless and senseless. We author's don't ram our stories down your throat or force you to read them – there's no need for you to attack an author for a story you chose to read. Don't like it? Stop freaking reading it. Rant over, thank you for your time*****_

_**I know there is still some confusion and trepidation about this story. It's not a cannon story and the characters are OCC in many ways. I know it's a leap of faith on your parts, but I hope you'll give it a chance. Just remember, at some point two years from now, they're all lemony good…**_

_**Now we find out a little bit about Damon from two years prior to the prologue.**_

_**Thanks to my beta Trogdor19, and tukct81 for their priceless input!**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own these guys, but boy did I mess up their lives pretty good, huh?!**_

_**Enjoy…**_

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_Yay me. Cue applause…_

_Woo. Fucking. Hoo._

_How is it I can bust a nut twice, in less than two hours, and still not be satisfied?_

_Oh, that's right._

_I settled for clueless-lay Caroline. Again._

_Dead-fish fuck that she is. _

_Goddamn it._

The Forbes girl was obviously hot, given that he even bothered to have sex with her, but she was barely more than mediocre in the sack. Truly, it was tragic to have someone so beautiful be so awful at every aspect of sex. She lacked any ambition or passion for trying new things; hell, she was terrified to venture outside the missionary position. That was "dirty."

_Yeah, of course it is, honey. And fucking a guy in the back of his SUV, knowing he's sleeping with half the women you've ever met is what? Saintly? Sure… _

For fuck's sake, _Blondie_ had to be shitfaced in order to give a blow-job, which even that was a sad and feeble attempt, at best. It was a disgrace to his talents and a waste of his time to bed her, but he was bored and she was the nearest warm body available, so he'd taken her home yet again.

Oh, not to his home, of course. Damon never allowed women into his bed. Ever. Taking a woman "home," in his book, meant pulling off on the side of the road for backseat sex about halfway to _their_ home. His spacious Yukon was the perfect mobile motel. No need to spend money on easy women, plus he wouldn't let his dog lay on sheets from a place that rented rooms by the hour. The thought of touching those sheets made his skin crawl.

Perfect accommodations or not, Caroline was an inferior partner, so the entire experience was seriously lacking. His mood after getting laid was even darker than before leaving the party. The whole thing was infuriating since the two loads he'd blown were _supposed_ to turn that frown upside down or some shit. He was certain it was against the laws of nature. If two loads of cum didn't cheer him up, what would fucking cure what ailed him?!

And what ailed him was always the same… Elena _Fucking_ Gilbert.

_His brother's girl_.

Damon hated the girl with an unrivaled passion. He'd never been turned down so blatantly, especially by someone so much younger than him (frankly, it hadn't happened _period_ in eons). He wondered who the fuck she thought she was to deny him. Did she think she was too good for him? And why the hell did she get to him? It was questions like these that ate at his sanity. Sure, he hated the sting of rejection, but it was more than just her refusal to choose Damon over Stefan that infuriated the elder Salvatore.

It was _her_ in general.

Elena was indescribably beautiful, certainly, but it was more than that. She had a fire and zest for life that rivaled his, a rare appetite and thirst for adventure that was difficult to find in mankind today. Damon had watched her closely throughout the three years she dated his younger brother, uncaught, desperate for clues about the mystifying brunette.

_Well, mostly uncaught anyway_, he laughed at himself.

The few times he _was_ discovered, he was able to snark his way out of it without the extent of his obsession being revealed. He often found himself standing just outside whatever room they were in, listening to them interact, whether they were alone or with their friends. Being that most of Stefan and Elena's friends despised Damon, he was hardly welcomed into the _super-special_ inner sanctum with open arms.

Of course Damon didn't need her, or her Scooby gang to be happy, he was simply eavesdropping to remain in the know. Never be caught unaware, and all that. _He_ didn't _need_ anyone.

Most days he relished in being the "that guy." The guy everyone loves to hate. He was often giddy at being the lead topic of conversation, even though any redeeming qualities he might possess were rarely discussed. Most conversations involving him generally centered on what a self-serving jerk he was. He didn't need bunnies and fucking rainbows. Better to be the villain rather than ignored. Who cared why they talked about him, so long as they did.

Other days, he was almost able to admit he wanted more from life than a full belly, stiff booze and great sex, but those times were few and far between. When he was having an exceptionally lucky day, Damon could almost convince _himself_ he didn't care that the first girl he couldn't get out of his head and her tight-knit group of friends detested him.

On his less fortunate days, Damon discretely sulked in his room or brooded just on the outskirts of wherever _she_ was, wishing things were different. Hearing her and Stefan's fruitless make-out sessions, listening to them play or argue, savoring her reactions to the movies they watched all huddled up together – basically, torturing himself. And it was on those kinds of days that the elder Salvatore despised that little doe-eyed girl the most.

In short, nine days out of ten the blue-eyed ladies man hated his brother's girl for simply making him _feel_. Damon often wondered what the fucking point was in feeling _anything_, _ever_, if the one thing you wanted most in the world was the only thing you couldn't have? Whether it was joy in hearing her laughter, or rage that it wasn't _him_ making her laugh, Elena Gilbert ran Damon's emotions like a marathon.

Tonight, the reasons he hated her were entering the hundreds, maybe thousands. Originally Damon was pissed because he'd overheard the lovebird's plan to finally consummate their long, terrifyingly puritanesque, relationship at the party. Damon had wanted the couple to ride home with him, seeing how badly the weather had picked up; his four-wheel drive Yukon had no issues in the snow and the Nova didn't even have airbags, but 'Little Miss Sunshine' refused. He was certain she was so insistent, at least in part, just so that she wouldn't have to fuck Stefan for the first time with Damon in the same house.

Of course, Damon would have preferred that Elena be fucking _him_ instead of his younger brother, but _clearly_ no one gave a shit about his wants.

_Stubborn, insolent child that she was, couldn't she just do things the easy way?_ _HIS WAY?! _

_No, of course she couldn't. _

Elena dearest existed simply to torture Damon, of that he was certain. And what a mistress of mischief she was, causing Damon to hate her with an all consuming passion. Her pigheadedness and refusal to leave the fucking party with him tonight had cost him his brother.

Damon had just pulled into the drive of the family's boarding house when his cell rang. What the fuck kind of night was this? The Elena situation, the shit-poor sex with the Forbes bitch, the realization that his little brother got something from the object of his desire that Damon _never_ would…

Then the goddamn phone had to ring. All of his prior complaints seemed meaningless in comparison to that fucking phone call, yet when combined, were catastrophic for anyone within a five mile radius to him. The phone call was simply the straw the broke the camel's fucking back.

_He can't be dead. He just… couldn't._

A rage unparalleled to anything he'd ever experienced ripped through him at the news of his brother's demise.

_It'll be a miracle if I don't kill someone tonight. Maybe I'll start with Elena? Put that evil temptress out of my misery…_

He drove to the hospital at ridiculously unsafe speeds determined to prove that the hick paramedics who removed Stefan from the mangled car wouldn't know a dead body from a gumdrop. Blatantly ignoring the fact that he no longer felt the familiar comfort of his connection to Stefan, Damon simply couldn't admit that his brother was really gone. Stefan was the last of his family, and with his death Damon was all alone in the world except for Elena _fucking_ Gilbert.

The girl he loved to hate.

_And surely being totally alone would be better than pining away for Ms. Teenage Angst… Wouldn't it?_

If that were true, Damon wondered why his breath caught and his chest hurt at the thought of Elena still and cold. He hated that bitch, especially for causing Stefan's death, but…

The thought of losing her made him insane with rage.

_What the fuck am I doing here?! I hate her. _

_I. Fucking. Hate. That bitch._

_Don't I?_

_Goddamn it!_

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_**Yikes, he's kind of a dick, isn't he? Pretty stark change from here to the lover in the prologue, huh? **_

_**Wonder how/why he changed so much two years from now?**_

_**Up next we'll see what happened to Elena after we last saw her.**_

_**There is a method to my madness, I swear there is.**_

_**Love and hugs to all! Thanks for reading!**_

_**Jen**_


	6. Hospital Hijinks

_****Important** Elena was 14 when she first started dating Stefan. She was still 17, when the accident happened. They were both seniors in high school. Damon is 21 at the time of the accident. So by the time that the prologue occurs, Elena has just turned 20, Damon is 24. Sorry for not specifying earlier. Also the snow storm happened on March 18th.****_

_**Thanks to my beta Trogdor19 & tukct81 for their priceless input!**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own these guys, but boy did I mess their lives up pretty good, huh?!**_

_**Enjoy…**_

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In the trauma unit, Elena was still unconscious and fighting for her life. Her severed arm had been put on ice once recovered from the wreckage, her bleeding shoulder bandaged. Her mangled legs had been handled with kid gloves in an attempt to prevent the amputation of those as well. Getting her out of the car without killing her had been nearly impossible for the EMT's.

The hospital staff worked tirelessly trying to control her bleeding so Elena could be taken to the O.R. and the reimplantation and microvascular surgeons could attempt to save her limbs. The freezing winter temperatures had actually helped her survival thus far, as it kept her extremely cold, slowing her heart rate and the resultant blood loss. It was now the trauma team's job to ensure that she continued to survive.

After what seemed like an eternity to the exhausted doctors, they finally had the young woman stable enough to move upstairs to the OR. However, they held very little hope that she'd survive the night, let alone be able to retain the three severely damaged limbs. The poor young girl had been given twice her normal blood volume so far, and the bleeding was still barely contained at best. Bruising, along with a sudden distention and hardness, were apparent across her lower abdomen indicating internal bleeding; she needed to get to the operating room _NOW_. One of the nurses said a silent prayer for Elena as she was wheeled towards the elevator, just as two more traumas were being wheeled into the ER. The team silently wondered how many lives this storm would claim before it passed.

Damon arrived at the hospital and was instantly incensed when no one could be bothered to help him find his dead brother. Yeah, fine… there were other people who still had a shot at surviving and they needed assistance first. And to some degree he understood that. There was the terrible snow storm that was causing all sorts of accidents, yada yada yada. But logic was in scarce supply given his current mood.

All he wanted was to verify his brother's condition and to find _Elena Fucking Gilbert_! The bitch at the front desk was all too willing to go on and on about how "that poor, sweet, young girl" was in surgery right now and how she "sure hoped the poor dear would be okay." Damon was outraged that the fat old hag would be so concerned for _little Elena_, yet not tell Damon where the body of the man that "the poor dear" _had killed _was.

Damon grabbed the first trauma nurse rushing by; he wasn't moving an inch until he found out where Stefan was. When the location of his brother was revealed, his heart plummeted. Damon knew he'd be in the morgue, but he'd been holding onto the hope that Sheriff Forbes had been wrong when she phoned him with the news.

_Liz's daughter was an intolerable moron, so it stood to reason her mother was as well._

Unfortunately that wasn't the case. For the life of him he couldn't figure out why the mother had to be the fucking smart one. Feeling utterly useless, having no need to rush to his brother's aid, Damon caught the eye of the helpful nurse, determined to find out the true nature of Elena's condition. Using all his powers of charm and persuasion, he convinced her to break hospital protocol.

"Well, her legs are all but destroyed and there is very little hope of saving them. Her arm had been amputated prior to the paramedics' arrival, we're guessing from the seatbelt along with the impact of the crash," the nurse began.

"Due to the unknown length of time that the arm had been severed and her current condition, there is a very high likelihood that the arm is unsalvageable. She appears to have internal injuries judging by the bruising on her stomach. She has hypothermia, which ironically may have saved her from bleeding out, but has been given enough blood that it's essentially replaced her total blood volume twice over, _and_ she is not likely to survive the surgeries they are about to perform."

Damon had the nearly overpowering urge to rip the bitch's head from her body as she _finally_ stopped recounting Elena's long list of woes.

_What the fuck? _

_I should be throwing a ticker-tape parade in honor of Princess Elena's suffering, not contemplating killing the messenger!_

He thanked her for her candor in his "friend's" condition and was preparing to go in search of his brother when the nurse stopped him.

"And to top off her night, the poor dear's parents were killed while rushing to the hospital."

"What?" Damon asked dumbfounded, his voice a strangled whisper.

He barely had a millisecond to process the fact that his brother was dead and Elena was most likely going to die as well, but now he had to cope with the knowledge that if she _did_ live, she'd be as alone as he was.

The nurse informed him that Elena's parents had been traveling behind the ambulance when they lost control of their car on old Wickery Bridge. The car rocketed through the railing and plunged into the icy water. Grayson was barely able to get himself and his wife out of the vehicle as it landed on the bottom. Unfortunately, Mrs. Gilbert had drowned before she reached the surface, while Mr. Gilbert had sustained head trauma that wasn't readily apparent.

The paramedics that arrived had thought that Grayson was simply a little out of sorts mentally due the combined tragedies of the night.

"Of course he'd be distraught after all he's been through," they'd thought.

So, when he collapsed to the floor of the ambulance in convulsions, to say everyone was shocked was an understatement. The nurse told Damon how guilty the EMT's felt at not diagnosing the extent of Grayson's head injury, but in truth there was probably nothing they could have done to change the outcome.

Mrs. Miranda Gilbert was pronounced dead upon arriving at the trauma unit, official cause of death listed as drowning. Dr. Grayson Gilbert, head surgeon at Mystic Falls General, struggled to survive for roughly five minutes after his arrival. However, the cerebral hemorrhage was simply too much to endure. The war against death could not be won, and Elena lost both parents within moments of one another.

_She can't die…_

Without a word, Damon left the nurse standing there.He wasn't even sure she was finished talking, but he was _damn sure_ finished listening.

_Bullshit, not gonna happen._

_Death is too good for her._

Rushing upstairs to the O.R., his breath caught as he took in the sight of Elena. He'd seen _actual_ dead things look way better than she did. She appeared to be unconscious as he approached her. Damon looked around quickly for the staff that was supposed to be helping this injured girl, finding no one around.

_Fucking hick-ass hospital! What're they, on a fucking coffee break or something?_

_A whole building full of "experts," and I'm the only one who can save her. Fucking figures. The girl loathes me, and here I am considering being her knight in shining armor. _

_I really need to start getting better pussy than Blondie. Pronto. Too many rotten lays have turned me into some whiny little emo-bitch._

_What's next? My very own Bejeweled kit and a Barbie Makeup Head? _

_What. The. Fuck._

Damon took a moment to just look at the mangled girl. So innocent, so heartbreakingly beautiful even in this state.

God, I hate her.

He could hear people somewhere close by, but for at least the next few seconds he and Elena were alone. He stared at her for a moment, weighing his options.

_I could help her; share my gift... _

_But why the fuck should I? _

_She killed my brother. And all to make sure that she didn't have to get her first fuck on with me in the house._

_Selfish little bitch. _

_Why should I help her…_

Realization struck him like lightning.

_I'll save her to punish her._

She couldn't die. If he was forced to be alone for the rest of his existence, little miss sunshine should be too. The vicious guilt that they died because of _her_ accident was too fucking perfect to pass up. Watching her suffer would be his sole source of entertainment now – aside from feeding and fucking, of course. What's more, the house would be tomb-quiet without his brother, the princess, and their perfect little Scooby gang underfoot constantly.

Damon bit back a growl when he noticed he was gently stroking her cheek.

Grabbing a syringe from a nearby cabinet, he plunged the needle into his arm, then quickly injected her. Seeing no immediate reaction, his stomach heaved.

_No…_

Damon was suddenly terrified he'd waited too long, that she was too far gone to help.

_Elena can't die._

His heart clenched, just a little, as he wiped a wayward sweat and blood laced lock of hair from her face.

Elena's eyes fluttered slightly before opening widely, her virtually silent scream piercing his ears, her eyes searching frantically before landing on his shocked form.

"Damon," she croaked.

_God, her voice sounds like the inside of a tomb._

Damon loathed unwelcomed interruptions as a general rule, yet he wanted to weep with joy at the rapidly approaching surgical team. With one last glance and a quick caress to her face, he fled from the room as if he were on fire, happy to avoid the unfamiliar twinges of emotion stirring within him.

_Fucking Elena Gilbert._

As unconsciousness claimed Elena yet again, she noted a strange tingling throughout her body and wondered if Damon Salvatore had really been standing over her with concern etched on his normally bitter features.

And if so, _why_?

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_**Love and hugs to all! Thanks for reading!**_

_**Jen**_


	7. The Space Between

_**In honor of Marebare1979 (she's one of my absolute favorite reviewers and someone I enjoy chatting with immensely, who was wonderful enough to follow me from SVM/TB to the TVD genre & I love her for it), I am posting this chapter tonight instead of waiting for tomorrow night or Sunday. Mare, your reviews make my day – each and every time. Thanks for being endlessly awesome!**_

_**Thanks to my beta Trogdor19 & tukct81 for their priceless input! I am beyond grateful for their guidance and suggestions. If you're not reading their work, you should be – they're brilliant!**_

_**Enjoy…**_

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Misty fog rolled in over the dock, yet the sun was shining brightly. Though she was alone, she felt no fear, only a sense of passive involvement in her surroundings. The serenity such a welcomed refuge from the pain she was in a moment ago, Elena relaxed and climbed to sit atop the wooden railing.

She'd always loved how the sunlight twinkled on the water, casting rainbows like fairy kisses, and spinning daydreams like fine silk. It was there on the dock at her family's cabin where Elena always felt the safest. That was the place of her mystical childhood kingdom, where her handsome prince waited to rescue her. She felt, rather than heard, her parents' approach.

"Why are we here?" Elena asked quietly.

"We're waiting to move on after the accident."

"Am I dead?"

"No, baby, you're not, he saved you. But, we didn't make it, baby. We had a terrible accident along..."

Icy spiders scampered up Elena's spine. "No…"

"It's okay, sweetheart. We'll miss you terribly, but we're alright. You'll be just fine without us."

Despair, thicker than concrete, encased Elena. "But I'll be all alone now! I don't want to be alone!""

"You will _not_ be alone, sweetheart. Amazing things are coming your way, Elena. We have to go now, it's time. We love you."

"NO! Please! I love you guys, please don't go!"

"Amazing things, Elena; open yourself up to them. And remember our love for you, _always_."

She wailed as her parents shimmered slightly before disappearing, taking all the light and love from her life. "Momma! Daddy! NO…"

Suddenly alone and immersed in darkness, Elena began to panic. Nibbling flames snacked on her every nerve. Tingling. Gnawing. Consuming. No word seemed right for the alien sensations teasing her senses.

Shadows brandishing iron puppeteer strings held her in the inky-blackness, blocking her return to reality. Surely this was all a dream. Her parents couldn't really be dead, right? She was safe at home. This was just some fucked up dream brought on by too much booze at the party.

_The party._

_Stefan._

Even the murky hands of oblivion couldn't catch Elena as she fell headlong into hysteria.

_The accident, Stefan's head, my arm, MY LEGS! Oh God..._

_I don't want to die, but I don't want to live with a broken and useless body either! How am I supposed to live with only one arm and a torso?! This can't be happening._

_I'm dreaming. That's GOT to be it._

_Wait… my parents said I'd be fine._

_My. Parents._

_Oh God no… if the accident really happened, could everything be true?_

The doctor's working to save Elena's life and limbs noticed the spike in her vital signs and feared she was about to code. The team quickly prepared the defibrillator but prayed her heart wouldn't fail; none held any hope she could be revived at this point. Her blood pressure and heart rate reached critical levels and the surgical team braced for the worst, but seconds later her vitals began returning to normal as if they'd imagined the whole thing. When the bells and whistles finally stopped, a collective, shaky sigh of relief hissed throughout the room.

Elena felt herself revving higher and higher, almost as if she were about to blast off from a starting gate. The quivering of her nerve endings reached a fevered pitch, like millions of sticks chafing to ignite a blaze. Elena seized and screeched until she had nothing left, powerless to stop the piercing pleas that tore from her chest. Certain she was going to die, she surrendered to the panic and prayed she'd find her parents quickly on the other side.

A languid calm began creeping over her like a lover's kiss, soothing her blistered nerves and quelling the all-consuming flames. Inch by glorious inch she was bathed in tranquility until all that remained was the oddly comforting tingle she'd grown accustomed to. Some part of her knew her solace was a gift, yet her benefactor was a mystery. Perhaps her parents…

"He saved you,"her mother's voice whispered. Piercing blue eyes overwhelmed her.

_Damon…_

The surgeons worked tirelessly over the young woman, amazed that she was still alive; given the nature of her numerous injuries they'd expected to be calling TOD as soon as they entered the O.R. It was actually suggested by one of the newest team members that they "forget about reattaching the limbs and just wait for nature to take its course." The young doctor was sternly reminded that not only did they have an obligation to do all they could to save her _and_ her limbs, but that this was the daughter of his former boss. They would not be giving up on young Elena.

Serenity enveloped Elena as she drifted. She felt no pain, no fear – only peace. Even the part of her that was convinced she was dying was strangely unworried. She gave herself to the visions flooding her mind, content with something to occupy her as she waited for whatever came next.

A collection of decorated trees and mountains of presents, loving smiles from her long deceased Poppa and Mimi, shopping for new school clothes with her mom, cooking lessons with her dad, Mimi's quilt that hung in her room. Meeting Caroline and Bonnie in Kindergarten; mud pies, makeup, bad haircuts, entering Jr. High, the first school dance, first broken hearts and the buckets of ice cream that healed them.

Running into Stefan in the hallway, the first time he held her hand, the first timid kiss, Stefan's sweet smile, his loving touches, his ridiculously dry humor. Icy blue eyes, the infuriating way those big blues seemed to pierce through her as his eyebrows waggled; the smirk that promised naughty, yet marvelous, things to come. Damon's concern as he stood over her that ate through his sardonic mask, making him achingly beautiful.

_Stefan_. His hands running over her skin as they finally made love after _so_ many years. Stefan's whispered words of devotion and tender kisses. The feel of him entering her slowly, stretching her to fit him so perfectly. The unfamiliar coil felt deep in her belly as he brought her to orgasm. Wickedly tight black jeans and designer shirts, cerulean eyes dancing with mischief as he flung snarky comments around like water balloons, odd flashes of black hair lurking in doorways, lightning shuffles of feet escaping her approach, tingles at the base of her neck just before he entered the room, hairs raised as if seeking his touch.

After nearly ten hours of surgery the doctors finally sewed their last stitch, all of them astounded she'd survived the multiple procedures. Her arm was reattached and looked surprisingly good despite the initial report from the EMT's. Dr. Phillip Connor, promoted to head surgeon with the death of his best friend, planned to have an intense discussion about the importance of accurate injury reporting from both the first responders and the E.R. staff. Errors of this magnitude were nothing short of criminal.

The reports he'd been given all but pronounced her nearly limbless and on death's door. Obviously her arm _was_ actually missing, but her legs weren't nearly as bad as the surgical team had been led to believe, nor did she have the internal injuries they'd been advised of. They'd been prepared to open her abdomen up as soon as they'd entered the room only to find a flat, albeit black-and-blue, stomach. Not the hard, distended belly they'd been expecting. Further scans revealed bruised and battered, but otherwise healthy, organs. As much as he loathed the term "miracle" as a physician and man of science, Phil found it to be a very apt in this case. Either that, or he needed to fire _a whole lot_ of people in the coming weeks.

Elena was wheeled into recovery and all the hospital staff could do now was pray, and wait. Intense, exposed blue eyes were her only illumination as she awaited fate, keeping her tethered to the darkness and providing her with unexpected reassurance. She had no basis for why _he_ was a comfort to her now, and reasoned it was his face being the last thing she saw before God took her.

"You're not dying on me, cupcake. Death is too easy. After how you've messed with _my_ existence, I have plans for _you_." His callous words further soothed her, though she was certain she was imagining the whole thing. Damon never spoke to her in such a tender tone, plus his words held a spine-tingling pledge.

She didn't bother answering him. How could she admit that she was ready to die at seventeen years old? But living with half a body simply wasn't an option. Who would take care of her if this Tim Burton nightmare was real? She wouldn't want to be that kind of burden to her family, let alone strangers. She had no one now.

Slowly the blue orbs began to fade, confirming her isolation. Though she still felt no alarm, she was nearly overcome with loneliness. Bright lights blended with his receding irises, shocking Elena in their intensity. Shiny tile floors, cold stainless steel, and pristine white cabinets filled her vision. A cacophony of beeping, whirling, and thrumming noises tweaked her ears as she caught sight of the occupied bed.

Multiple tubes leading to assorted machines created a macabre web around the white blanket. Two small, delicate hands rested atop the covers. Matted hair, eerily similar to her own, fanned across shoulders. Foreboding gripped Elena. She felt him gently pushing her forward, wordlessly bending her will. Defiance burned within her. She would not watch her limbless body expire.

_Fuck him and the horse he rode in on! Wasn't death supposed to be peaceful? _

She watched as a heavy-set nurse entered the room, bustling about, checking the machines and making notes on a chart. She stared with morbid curiosity as the nurse peeled back the blankets. Thick bandages covered the shoulder, and Elena nearly wept with joy as the woman felt about the arm for warmth.

Elena held her breath as the nurse pulled the covers down further. Heavily bandaged, horridly bruised legs appeared. The woman's hands roamed carefully over Elena's skin, pausing periodically as she descended toward the feet. A satisfied smile crossed the nurse's face as she wiggled Elena's toes; an amused chuckle startling Elena away from the hospital scene.

Elena found herself suddenly standing on warm grass looking out at the water again. She took just a moment to appreciate the sun on her face, the warm breeze in her hair, a content smile lighting her face. She opened her eyes to see him sitting at the edge of the dock, his feet dangling in the water, splashing about slightly.

"I didn't lose my arm and legs, Damon," she gushed, giddy to share.

"I'm so fucking mad at you, little girl."

She took a tentative seat next to him, watching his reaction carefully; the sheer hatred in his voice making her more wary of him than ever before. He stared out at the water refusing to meet her gaze.

"From the minute you rah-rahed your tight little ass into my world, you've had me on edge. I'm not sure most days whether I wanna simply fuck you, or fucking _destroy_ you. I've never been this out of my depth before."

She didn't dare say a word; she'd never heard Damon this open, EVER, and feared breaking the spell. Dream or not, she found this side of him captivating. Perhaps there was more to him than the pompous, callous, assclown she normally saw.

"I want you to die. _Oh_, how I want you to suffer. You killed my brother, Goddamn you! Yet there I stood, stroking your cheek like some love sick tween. THEN, instead of rejoicing in your suffering, I go and help you. _What. The. Fuck?_ I mean, do you know the fun I could have had with you? One arm, no legs and a nice slick wood floor… entertainment for a millennium right there, boy. But nooo… I've gotta have a soft spot for little miss sunshine. Fucking pathetic."

"I'm sorry about Stefan, Damon."

"Well now, that just makes it all better, doesn't it? You're sorry. _Whoopie_. Let's throw a parade in your honor, shall we? Sorry doesn't fucking cut it, genius."

"I know, but as much as I'm going to miss him, he was your baby brother. You lost more than I did today, Damon."

Damon swore under his breath and Elena was rather happy she'd missed whatever he'd said, certain he was still bitching about her. She closed the distance between them, scooting so their thighs were touching and gently placed her head on his shoulder.

She fully expected him to lash out or jump away from her, so when his hand came up to gently cup her face to hold her tightly against him, she was floored.

"I hate you, Elena. I hate you with a passion I can scarcely describe."

"I know, Damon," she sighed. "I hate you, too. But you're all I've got in this weird ass dream. Stay with me for a bit, please?"

"Fucking hell, Lena."

She smiled and snuggled in a bit closer as he began to slowly stroke her hair.

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_**Thank you to everyone who's giving this story a chance. Love and hugs to all!**_


	8. Fireside Chats

_**Thanks to my beta Trogdor19 & tukct81 for their priceless input! Trogdor19 was outrageously patient with me on this chapter! This bad boy went through three rounds of edits before finally getting published – so I owe her a HUGE thank you for her grace in dealing with me!**_

_**And thanks to all of you who have read, and/or reviewed this story. As well as to anyone who've added it or me to one of your lists. I adore you guys!**_

_**Character names, not mine. Effed up situations they're dealing with? Yeah, those are all me. **_

_****I would suggest (if y'all don't mind) that you go back and read the last chapter again, to help tie this one into her experiences. It's not necessary, but you might find it necessary since I suck and haven't updated in a week or so.** **_

_**Enjoy…**_

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Pinching the bridge of his nose, Damon unconsciously swirled the bourbon around the heavy, lead-crystal highball as he leaned back against the soft leather sofa. Every inch of him was taut, ready to strike. The question was _what_ to strike?

_What a night. One more thing. Just one more thing tonight, and I'm gutting someone like a fucking fish._

_What the hell possessed me to risk exposure like that? For her, no less?! _

_Big brown eyes, great tits, and a few injuries - and suddenly I'm tapping a vein like I'm a walking fucking kegerator… Pathetic._

After running from Elena's bedside like a baby-back bitch, and still reeling from seeing Elena in such a deplorable state, Damon was loathe to argue with the ancient hobbit at the morgue desk about paperwork (of all things). Then to further test his patience, he was forced to go round after round with the balding, Oompa Loompa-type crypt keeper about Stefan's autopsy.

_Yeah, not gonna happen there, Sparky. Wouldn't that just give medical science some shit to flap about? Boy, oh boy._

Adding to his frustration was the fact that he hadn't been able to get an update on Little Miss Sunshine's condition before he'd left the hospital. When he'd gone to the surgical station he'd been told that she was in for at least several more long hours of procedures, if she survived any of it, of course. Not only was Damon rather piss-poor at waiting, but he detested the idea of having to have another fight with Oompa about doing an autopsy on Elena if she didn't make it. But under no circumstances could he allow one to be performed on her now. Not after she'd had his blood.

_She's not even awake, and she's still messing with my life. _

_Fucking. Ducky. _

He'd decided to go home, make the funeral arrangements, shower, maybe get laid, and definitely get buzzed.

_What else was one to do on such an exquisite night? _

The pièce de résistance had been Barbie Forbes, and her particular brand of bullshit, as he'd fled the OR wing of death. She'd been told of the accident by her mother, and then of course told half the town; the waiting room was jam packed with folks "there to show their support."

_Yeah, sure. More like get the scoop on all the juicy tidbits as they unfold. Who needs enemies when you have 'friends and family'?_

Upon seeing Damon, Caroline had squealed like a pig and thrown herself at him like he was her savior. She then proceeded to gush about how tragic the whole thing was; the accident, Stefan's untimely death, Elena's injuries and her parents'. Her mask of concern lasted all of two minutes before the gossip began to spew from her lips.

"It's like a Lifetime movie, all tragic and sad. Only this is real and not acted out by washed-up has-beens." She'd quipped, making Damon's eye twitch with the nearly irresistible need to strangle her. "Is is true your brother was like beheaded? Is she really missing her arm, I heard it was found in her lap? They're saying your brother was drunk? Or maybe Elena was like, you know..." she poked her tongue into her cheek twice, a smirking suggestively. "I'm not sure what all is true, but _something_ must have caused the crash…"

"What happened, genius, is that Mother Nature decided to drop an asston of snow on us in the span of a few hours, and the Nova wasn't equipped to handle it," Damon cut her off, growling. "Your best friend is dying upstairs, and you want to spread rumors that she killed her boyfriend by sucking him off? How the hell did I get the bad rap with you around? Do not _EVER_ let me hear that again, or you'll find out just how evil I can really be."

Of all the times Caroline Forbes had turned Damon's stomach, none topped the tsunami of revulsion her cattiness now churned. He was mystified that someone who professed to be Elena's "bestie" would care more about being Ma Bell's mouthpiece on the party-line than whether or not _her Elena_ would survive.

_Hypocritical, spiteful child! She's always been so jealous of Elena. Always so quick to bring Elena down._

"_Oh, my best friend is dying? Great, let's call her a whore, club her like a baby seal, and make accusations about her dead boyfriend…"_

_What the fuck is wrong with humanity today?_

Then Chatty Cathy actually had the balls to ask him for a ride home, and in her pitiful version of a seductive tone, no less. He couldn't believe it. Almost as surprising was the fresh wave of nausea that stormed through him at just the thought of her grubby little hands on his skin. He was certain in that moment that he'd never subject himself to another lame round of backseat sex with that particular filly again.

A satisfied smirk crossed his face just before taking a much needed sip of his amber elixir at the memory of how pissed she'd been that he'd _dared_ to refuse her. Her eyes bulging, right along with that alluring lil' vein in her neck, as she'd shrieked that she "didn't want to be stuck in this creepy hospital with nothing fun to do."

_Fun. To. Do?_

_Sure, because waiting to see if your best friend will survive the night (never mind whether or not she'll be in possession of three out of the four of her limbs), is supposed to be a fucking carnival ride. _

_Maybe she should be the fish I gut tonight? I mean, she's a dead-fish fuck anyway, so it would be poetic in a way…_

Downing the rest of his drink in one long pull he slumped forward slightly, allowing his elbows to rest atop his knees as he tapped the woefully empty glass against his lips, willing it to fill itself. He wondered how he could have been so impetuous as to give her his blood. The myriad of cataclysms that could now arise from his one moment of weakness were staggering.

Exposure.

The idea of being discovered was inconceivable. His kind had existed alongside humans forever, without fanfare. The legends surrounding their existence were laughable and had only aided in covering the truth. It was the explosion of advances in medicine during the last fifty or so years that had given birth to the fear of discovery. And now, a seventeen year old girl lay on an operating table, chocked full of the one thing that could blow their existence wide open.

_Fucking brilliant, Salvatore. Really smooth move there, Ex-lax. Pitiful._

He heaved himself off the couch, desperate for another round to make his self-flagellation bearable. Damon poured far more than the socially acceptable two fingers, slammed that down, and then refilled again before resuming his seat in front of the fire. He'd been staring, mesmerized by the flames and the booze warming his belly, when he felt her.

Panic sung through his veins. He assumed she must be out of surgery and was waking up from the anesthesia. Taking a long swallow of his drink, he waited for her moment of understandable alarm to recede. He planned to head to the hospital after another round or two, but when her emotions reached chartbuster status he knew he'd have to take action sooner than anticipated.

Settling into the sofa, he closed his eyes and focused on her, reaching deep inside him for the connection they now shared. Finding her, he began to pet and soothe the strands of silken essence that bound her to him, needing to calm her before her body shut down. He could feel the whistling burden of her blood pressure set to screech like a teapot, the thunderous thrumming of her heart that no human's body could withstand.

_I didn't save her life for her to die of a goddamn panic attack. Chill, Elena. Christ._

After several long moments of willing her blood to slow and her heart to quiet its frantic pace, she finally fell into a more tranquil state again. He wondered what could have caused such a severe spike in her emotions. Did she still lose her limbs, even after his help? Had someone told her that her parents were dead?

Damon reached deeper into their connection, aching to learn more about this girl that had captivated him for so long. He caressed the silky filaments, lulling her into a more pliant state so she'd give up her secrets. He'd been expecting to feel her emotions, to sense intimate details about her mystifying inner workings, yet he was struck dumb as she opened herself to him completely.

_Christmas presents? Clothes shopping? Old geezers… and a blanket?_

He was gob-smacked. He'd never experienced anything like that before; he wasn't sure he'd ever _heard_ of something like _that_. The few times he'd ever allowed a connection to a human, he'd only been able to garner their feelings, not their thoughts – and certainly not a motion picture in his head. He was utterly captivated by the scenes befalling him, and was thrilled to unprecedented levels at how often _he_ was featured within her little memory montage.

_Though I could happily go several lifetimes without watching my dead brother take your virginity. Thanks, Elena, for that fucking play-by-play._

If he was shocked at seeing her memories in his mind, hearing her inner monologue made him twitch, causing precious drops of amber liquid to spill and nearly severing their connection. She was thinking about how intense his eyes were as they watched her, how their presence was the pinprick in night's curtain keeping her anchored to this plane…

_And how comforting they are to her?_ _She can see my eyes? So wait, that means she knows I'm here?_

_Uhh… that's not supposed to happen. _

_Who the hell did I give my blood to? Glinda?_ _This could be bad. This could be really fucking bad here, kiddies. _

_Oh, but it could be so GOOD, too…_

When he felt her serenity giving way to a deep sorrow and a sense of resignation, something snapped. It felt as if she were making peace with her death. The thought of her dying sent firebombs of uncertainty throughout him. He didn't risk exposure to have her give up like some sissy. She needed to fight. He needed to watch her suffer, to watch her wrestle with the loss of her family and his brother. And he sure didn't want to suffer through the loss of Stefan alone.

"You're not dying on me, cupcake. Death is too easy. After how you've messed with _my_ existence, I have plans for _you_."

His anger at her (and himself) colored his tone as he threatened her, making his inner voice callous and bitter. Unfortunately, something else seeped through – something he couldn't quite put a name to. It was something unfamiliar and foreign on his lips; sweet and spiteful, tender and deadly, as he promised her without words of things to come. Damon focused his energy on her, rather than whatever she was stirring inside him.

He heard her fears about being limbless, though he felt through their connection that they'd not been lost. He wondered what else their unique tie would show him, how he could alert Elena that she wasn't doomed to a life as a doorstop.

He realized with a shuddering awe that if he tried, he could see the hospital room around her. Damon had no idea how this was happening, but he was unusually grateful; he'd be able to help her. He showed her the room and his innards warmed slightly at her overwhelming joy, which only served to further incite his rage at how badly this tiny teenager consistently messed with his emotions.

_How could one little girl be so fucking menacing for someone as old as me?_

He needed a breather, to get away from her and her marathon wreaking goodness for just five minutes. Then he'd be able to regroup and remember that he _absolutely loathed_ Elena Gilbert. So, when he found himself on the dock at her family's cabin like he was sitting in some Ansel Adams print, he was both incensed and terrified.

_What in the blue fuck is going on here?_

_Meet Elena Gilbert, ladies and gentlemen, the only creature in existence to terrify an immortal. _

_I am Damon Salvatore, the immortal stupid enough to create a link to something even odder than myself._

_Go. Me. _

He heard her approaching, pissed beyond description that she'd followed him here. Or brought him here. He really wasn't sure what the hell was happening at that moment. But when she started bragging that she hadn't lost her precious limbs (after his brother lost his life because of her) it poured from him. The maelstrom of confusion she inflicted flowed from his mouth without remorse. He found himself wondering if he could use this fugue state to renege on his gift.

_There's got to be some kind of cosmic mulligan for bad judgment calls, right?_

When she apologized to him for Stefan's death, he felt her guilt. She didn't shoulder the blame aloud, but he still felt every gut-twisting ounce of remorse she had at her part in his brother's demise. As much as he wanted to rip her head off, the levels of shame she was feeling nearly knocked him over, and he came to the realization that he couldn't kill her.

_She was all he had._

He cradled her head against him as she snuggled up to him like a cat all warm and snug by the fire. He'd never been so confused in his life. He hated her – absolutely hated her.

_But God, how he needed her._

"Fucking hell, Lena."

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_**This chapter's purpose is to give y'all a few more clues about what's up with our boy, and to help explain (to some degree) the dream discussion from the previous chapter. I know it's not a huge advancement in the timeline, but it did give us a few things. Hope this helped shed some light on things.**_

_**And who else thought Caroline sucked here?! Yikes!**_

_**And, I know their relationship is weird and not exactly a fun-filled kiddie ride right now. But, think back to how they were towards each other at the beginning of the show. This story isn't based off that, but it is THAT KIND of relationship they share right now. Damon wasn't a good guy back then. Heck, he's still not a GOOD guy. But he's good with her, and he always was. Even when he didn't understand why he was doing the things he did. **_

_**My story may be taking off into left field with some things, but that is the type of relationship I'm shooting for right now. Hope this knowledge also helps with the confusion of this story. For anything else, y'all are just going to have to wait, lol.**_

_**Love and hugs to all!**_


	9. Revelations

_**Sorry for the delay! I had computer issues, RL is a killer… it never ends, right?! **_

_**And I once thought being a grown up would be fun. **_

_**What. A. Dumbass I was! **_

_**On another note, I've been given the honor of betaing for an amazing author who normally writes for the True Blood/SVM fandom, but has decided to try her hand in the Harry Potter realm. Her name is Ali989969 and she's one of my very favorite authors. The story is "**__**Maison du Phénix" – it's a Draco/Hermione and it's brilliant. It's AU and I can't say enough about her writing talents – you should really check out this, and all of her other stories. **_

_**Thanks to my betas Trogdor19 (who I will miss terribly this summer!) & tukct81 for their priceless input!**_

_**Character names, not mine. Effed up situations they're dealing with? Yeah, those are all me. **_

_**Enjoy…**_

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_**Previously…**_

_Damon swore under his breath and Elena was rather happy she'd missed whatever he'd said, certain he was still bitching about her. She closed the distance between them, scooting so their thighs were touching and gently placed her head on his shoulder. _

_She fully expected him to lash out or jump away from her, so when his hand came up to gently cup her face to hold her tightly against him, she was floored._

"_I hate you, Elena. I hate you with a passion I can scarcely describe."_

"_I know, Damon," she sighed. "I hate you, too. But you're all I've got in this weird ass dream. Stay with me for a bit, please?"_

"_Fucking hell, Lena." _

_She smiled and snuggled in a bit closer as he began to slowly stroke her hair._

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"Thanks for staying with me, Damon," Elena whispered.

"Shush… don't ruin the moment, princess."

Damon was still reeling, shocked by his overpowering need for her. She'd thrown his life into a tailspin the moment he'd laid eyes on her, yet he couldn't bear the thought of being without her now. Focusing on anything but the strange emotions churning within him, he rested his cheek atop Elena's head and stared at the picturesque scene before him. He watched the birds swooping down, effortlessly snatching their dinner from the water.

_Predator and prey. See, that's what it's supposed to look like. But, nooo…_

_I'm sitting here petting my prey like she's my new puppy._

_Pathetic._

He allowed himself one moment, just one brief moment, to revel in her. Just a smidgeon of time to cherish the softness of her chestnut hair as it caressed his fingers, to inhale her scent deeply, to savor the soft warmth of her body against his… just one split second to admit to himself how right she felt in his arms.

"My parents died, Damon."

_And, there goes my moment… _

"How'd you find out? You were out cold when they were pronounced."

Elena explained to Damon about her parents' last visit, how she was sitting in this exact spot at the lake house, before seeing herself in the hospital room. She was ecstatic to be able to share it with someone, even if that someone would never be this kind to her in real life. Dream Damon had mesmerized her. Elena suddenly found herself very grateful that the real Damon would never know a thing about any of this.

Damon was captivated by her tale. Of all the abilities he possessed, conversations with the dead weren't among them. He was certain both the ghost hotline and this vision quest were her doing, but he was clueless as to how she was doing it. However, if she wanted to believe this was all just a dream, he was thrilled to let her.

_Plausible deniability is goood. _

_I wonder if her hair is this soft in real life. Can she really smell this good? And warm. So. Warm._

_And soft._

_Maybe I can spare a few minutes for snuggling…_

"Did my brother come to say toodles as well?"

"No. Just my parents, but I wish he had."

"Mmm, me too. It blows that I didn't get to say goodbye." Elena hummed her agreement as she snuggled in just a little closer to Damon.

"What happened after I left anyway? I know you were planning to do the horizontal tango and all, but really kid – our house is huge. Was it absolutely necessary to stay on a mountain, _during a blizzard_, to get your first fuck on?"

"First, don't be a dick. Not today, Damon, I just can't take it. And second, yes. At the time I obviously thought it was. In retrospect it would have been smarter to wait, but it's not like I'm psychic! I didn't plan for all this to happen, for God's sake!" she pulled away from him slightly as her voice began to rise.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Hindsight's twenty-twenty and all…"

"Shut. Up, Damon. Yes, hindsight's twenty-twenty, and right now I'm seeing better than fucking Superman. But what good does that do me? Do you think I _like_ knowing that just because I didn't want to lose my virginity with you in the house, both my boyfriend _and_ my parents are dead? Do you think all this makes me want to do cartwheels? That I should shake my pom-poms and cheer that I'm an orphan now? Well screw you," she wiped at the tears now rolling down her crimson cheeks. "Everyone I love is dead, Damon. And all because I wanted to get laid."

"Don't cry, Lena. Jeesh, it'll give you wrinkles, or cancer, or some shit. Plus, it makes you all snotty, which is just thoroughly unattractive." Damon couldn't help but smile at her giggle-snort as his words helped slow her tears. "It's easier for me to blame you for my brother's death, but it still doesn't make it true. I left hours before you and as much as I hate to say it, it's a freak accident that killed Stef, not the snowstorm."

"Yeah, but if I hadn't of insisted on staying, we wouldn't have been…"

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda. Big deal. Stefan should have walked away from that, no problem. A fucking street sign, killing one of us. Ludicrous… Now, enough of this," Damon commanded as he began tugging on her. "Get your skinny ass back over here. You're warm, and soft, and you don't smell too bad, either."

"I could have been used as a doorstop, as you so graciously put it. How do you figure he should've walked away?"

"Nevermind. Let's curb that discussion until a later date, 'kay? Warm, soft… ringing any bells? Scoot."

"Whatever. This dream is so strange, they must have me on some pretty good meds. Anyway… What am I going to do about burying my parents? And I'll probably miss Stefan's memorial, since I'll be on lockdown in here for a while."

"Yeah, I don't think I'll be able to spring you any time soon. Gotta give those limbs time to shore up, ya know. I've done about as much for you as I can at this point, but I'll make sure your parents are taken care of. So relax, and shove your cheeks this way, woman."

Elena cuddled up again, shocked by both Damon's hand which immediately resumed petting her hair, and the satisfied purr that began to rumble through him. "Careful, Damon, I might start thinking you care."

"Yeah, but then I'd open my mouth, say something wildly inappropriate, and no one would believe your lies. Hell, they'd probably give you a straightjacket and your very own padded room for suggesting such a blasphemous thing." Elena thawed slightly at the sound of his deep chuckle, the masculinity of it warming her.

"I gotta be honest though, I never thought I'd lose my brother to a car crash. Death by traffic sign; it's just so _ordinary_, so… fucking human. We've been through so much, seen so _goddamn_ much together over the years, there's no way it should have ended like this. So much time, and yet it wasn't nearly enough," he trailed off, his voice almost a whisper.

"Come on, Damon, he wasn't even out of his teens. You make it sound like you've been around for like ever," she snorted.

_Umm… duh, kid. _

_Wait…_

"Didn't he share any of our story, our history, with you? Really, Lena, nothing in three years of dating?"

"What are you talking about?" her tone biting as her patience waned in the face of his sarcastic attitude.

"Did my brother wear a rubber, or are you on the pill?"

"What?!" she screeched.

"Okay, first, warn me next time you're gonna impersonate a screech owl, because HOLY GOD that was loud. Not cool, Lena. Not cool."

She was sorely tempted to bite the finger that now waggled in front of her face, scolding her as if she were a child. She hated to admit that she liked this playful side of him, a lot more than she should. Elena found herself quite grateful that dream Damon wasn't who she normally encountered. She silently acknowledged that having a real-life crush on your dead boyfriend's brother was not only social suicide, but was surely poor manners - in like every freaking culture. She desperately hoped that crushing on Damon in dreamland wasn't an invitation for bad Karma.

_That ship has sailed, sweetheart. Cuz today pretty much sucked ass for you._

Damon wondered briefly how he could hear her inner monologue, yet she couldn't hear his.

_But regardless, yay me. The ice queen finally admits I'm hot._

"Second, if he didn't share our history, I doubt you'll be giving me nieces or nephews anytime soon. But, just in case, did. You. Guys. Use. Protection?"

"Um, yes?"

"Grand. Now, didn't Stef ever tell you that we were… _different_?"

"Ummm… Different?"

_Christ, do you need a map?! _

_Maybe flash cards. Or those yummy smelling markers and some really brightly colored paper would be helpful, cuz really?_

_W-o-w._

"Yes, different. Let's see… Did Stef ever ask you for anything unusual? Or by chance did you ever get hurt around him? Bleed? Before tonight, I mean."

_Unless…_

Elena didn't know what Damon was getting at, but the raw honesty and curiosity in his expression as he awaited her answer told her that he was deathly serious. This somehow mattered to Damon, and from what she could tell, made a difference to her life in some way as well. She thought hard, searching for a time she'd injured herself in Stefan's company before tonight.

"No, actually, I don't think I ever have gotten hurt around him."

Something was tickling her senses. Something she was missing.

"Aunt Flo does visit you, right? I mean, you are 'a woman' and all that, aren't you?"

"Holy. Shit. Really, Damon?"

Elena questioned her sanity, confused as to how she could find someone so attractive when they were this irritating. But his look of annoyed insistence forced her to acknowledge his outrageous question.

"Yes, Damon. I'm a real woman. God, you're so…!"

"Hot, I know."

"Whatever, Damon."

"Well…"

"Oh! There was one thing. Stefan asked me to get on the pill that made sure you only had your rag four times a year. He was very specific that it had to be the one that cut your number of cycles down. He said he couldn't stand the thought of me bleeding, and that once we were _active_ he didn't want to have to go without it for a week each month."

_She's rocking an al naturale monthly buffet, and he wanted to take her off the menu as often as possible. _

_Unreal._

"But he never told you why?"

Elena's headshake confirmed his theory. She wasn't Stefan's mate. His brother could never have hidden their nature from her if she was. His kind couldn't lie to their other half, couldn't deny them, or hide from them. Exposure wasn't an issue at that point; mates were to be told and would accept them without reservation. If Stefan hadn't worried about birth control that only further proved his theory, because they couldn't breed with anyone except their mate. Human birth control would prevent pregnancy between a mated pair, _but_ only when both the hormonal and latex prophylactics were used together.

_Our little swimmers don't come to the pool often, but when they do they're in it to win it._

"Why do you hate me so much, Damon?" her voice so low he almost missed her question.

"I don't hate you, Elena. I know what I said, but it's just… I don't know what to fucking do with you," he sighed, resigning himself to tell her everything.

_It's only a dream to her, after all._

"You fascinate me, Lena. More so than any human ever has. I feel the need to be near you, it eats at me. My skin fucking crawls when I'm away from you for too long, and I hate it. I find myself screwing anything that moves, trying to get you out of my system. I've never been so upended in my existence, and it scares me, angers me."

"But, I hardly talk to you, Damon."

"I know, and that just fucking makes it worse. I hang on your every move, each sound that escapes you, and the shear absurdity of it all infuriates me. I'm beside myself, driven mad by my foolish need for you, yet I'm unable to despise you enough to ease my pain. The more you ignore me, spurn me, the more I yearn for you. I'm lost, Lena," he admitted weakly. "I've never felt like this before."

"I… I don't know what to say, Damon."

"S'okay, Lena. There's nothing you can say."

He knew it wasn't her fault that she'd ensnared him, enslaved him. He knew she hadn't tried to intentionally.

"I'm sorry your parents died, Lena. It blows to lose your family. Believe me, I know."

The paradox of how many loved ones he'd lost, considering their lack of vulnerabilities, dumbfounded Damon. Forever was unfathomable to Damon now, without Stefan.

"Thanks, Damon. I'm so scared, everything's such a mess. I don't know what's gonna happen next. Where I'll live, what I'll do for money… how I'll finish school? And… God! I'm _so_ alone now."

"Nah… for what it's worth, you've got me."

_But apparently whether I kill you, or become your cuddle monkey, remains to be seen… _

"It means a lot right now, thank you. It might not mean as much when I wake up and you're a total prick to me again. But while you're being nice, it means the world to me."

"Hardee har har, funny girl."

"You keep saying 'human', Damon, like there's something else. What, are you some kind of superhero or something? Spiderman? Superman? Ooh, ooh… I know! You're Batman!" she laughed nervously.

Somehow, deep inside her, Elena knew her life was about to change forever.

"I'm so much fucking cooler than any of those assclowns. Although, Batman does have some pretty cool toys. And a butler. I could do worse, I suppose. But, I'm something else, Elena. Something… more."

Elena was about to ask what when his fingers gripped her chin gently, coaxing her to meet his gaze. His eyes seemed to darken in color as she watched, their icy-blue morphing into a deep sapphire. She pulled back slightly, trying to understand what she was witnessing.

His normally breathtaking smile held something else today, more than his infuriatingly perfect teeth and lickable full, pink lips. Something that made Elena hiss out a tortured gasp.

Two murderously beautiful fangs swelled, enlarging as she gaped.

_**%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**_

_**Hmmm…**_

_**Wonder what happens next?**_

_**Lots of dialogue here, I know. But after all the depressing earlier chapters, my muse needed some Delena time, even if it's all mind-meldy Delena. **_

_**Now… it's super important to note that this is ALTERNATE UNIVERSE… my version of creature will be a little different than what we normally see, so keep an open mind please. I know you all have ideas on what they are, and you're probably right – but we'll find out exactly what's up together eventually. Mmkay?**_

_**And, will she remember any of this later? Is it really a dream? Is it real? **_

_**Hmmm…**_

_**Love and hugs to all! Thanks for reading!**_


	10. My What Big Teeth You Have

_**Sorry for the delay in chapters, RL takes its toll sometimes.**_

_**Thanks to my beta tukct81 for her priceless input! And thank you to everyone who's reading, has favorited, reviewed, or alerted this story. **_

_**Character names, not mine – Ms. Smith and the CW own those. Effed up situations they're dealing with? Yeah, those are all me. **_

_**Enjoy…**_

_**%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**_

_Previously…_

"_You keep saying 'human', Damon, like there's something else. What, are you some kind of superhero or something? Spiderman? Superman? Ooh, ooh… I know! You're Batman!" she laughed nervously._

_Somehow, deep inside her, Elena knew her life was about to change forever._

"_I'm so much fucking cooler than any of those assclowns. Although, Batman does have some pretty cool toys. And a butler. I could do worse, I suppose. But, I'm something else, Elena. Something… more."_

_Elena was about to ask what when his fingers gripped her chin gently, coaxing her to meet his gaze. His eyes seemed to darken in color as she watched, their icy-blue morphing into a deep sapphire. She pulled back slightly, trying to understand what she was witnessing._

_His normally breathtaking smile held something else today, more than his infuriatingly perfect teeth and lickable full, pink lips. Something that made Elena hiss out a tortured gasp._

_Two murderously beautiful fangs swelled, enlarging as she gaped._

_**%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**_

Elena blinked several times, knowing that there was no way she was seeing fangs peeking out of his lips, fantasy world or not. She closed her eyes for a moment, and then rubbed them viciously before taking another look at him.

Elena worried deeply about her sanity when they hadn't disappeared. Even her wacky subconscious couldn't dream up her dead boyfriend's ridiculously hot brother having _fangs_. She'd had sex with Stefan (for goodness sake!), she knew for sure _he_ wasn't a vampire, so this was just insane… or maybe they had her drugged out of her gourd.

"Okay, when you come to the hospital next, you _need_ to tell them that they've got me on too high a dose of pain meds. I'm losing it here."

"You're not losing it, cupcake."

_However, __**I**__ might be._

_Cuz shit is gonna hit the fan when you figure out this isn't' a dream._

_Go ahead, expose yourself further for the warm body that's attached to the pretty boobies and breathtaking face._

_Brilliant, Salvatore._

"Umm… I'm dreaming of you with fangs, Damon. Of course I've lost my mind. Between the accident, my injuries, and all the death – I think my mind has finally flown the coop."

Elena didn't share aloud how unfair she thought it was that the imaginary fangs made Damon even hotter, but she didn't need to. He was still hearing her inner monologue with crystal-clarity.

"Just when you thought I couldn't get any hotter, huh?" he laughed. "I'm every girl's wettest dream; an incredibly sexy man, filled with mystery and danger. How _ever_ will you resist me?"

"Yes, but then sounds exit your mouth and _voilà_, crisis averted!"

"Ah, _but_ all I have to do is flex something and you'll be putty in my hands once again."

"Keep telling yourself that, big boy."

_Big, ha! You have no idea…_

Oh how Damon loved snarky Elena. In all the years he'd known her, he'd never seen this side of her. He wasn't sure if she'd reserved this version of herself for her closest friends, or if it was their new friend-ish status that had brought it out of her. Either way, Damon decided that he was a huge fan.

Elena wasn't sure what had come over her in this dream state. She should be a sobbing ball of goo after losing her boyfriend and her parents in the same night. Her injuries alone should have been enough to make her catatonic! Yet here, with Damon, she felt untroubled.

Not happy, exactly, but… serene.

She was amazed that she could crack jokes and let loose the sarcastic side of herself that Stefan had always been so un-fond of. A part of Elena knew that it was wrong of her; that she was probably being disrespectful to those she'd lost. But with dream Damon, Elena just couldn't seem to help herself.

So, she stopped trying.

"It _is_ only a dream, after all. No harm in cheering myself up, right?" Elena thought.

"Enough with the flood, famine, and despair, kid. You look constipated over there. Smile, for crying out loud. You'll have more than enough to fret about when you wake up, believe me. So, go ahead, _enjoy_ it."

The part of Elena that was sick of being sad took his advice and ran with it, missing the fact that he was responding to her thoughts and not her spoken words.

"You couldn't find something cooler to be? I mean, seriously Damon, fangs? Are you going to sparkle next? Oooh or maybe you can get a trench coat, dye your hair blonde, and adopt a British accent?"

"Cute, real cute. I share something kind of important with you here, and you compare me to those Twilight pussies? And Spike? Well… at least Spike was _somewhat_ badass. But really, Lena?" he shook his head at her.

_Think, damn it. You can do this, Lena._

"You know… smart is sexy. And I've always thought you were _so_ smart. Please don't make me a liar here, woman."

Her mouth opened and closed fruitlessly for a moment as Elena tried to bite back the rude comments fighting to escape her. But in the spirit of getting along, and her burning need to prove she wasn't mentally unstable, she decided to take a deep breath and put some thought into this craziness.

"Obviously he's saying they're vampires, but that's not possible. Vampires don't exist," Elena thought.

_Ehhh… wrong answer. Would you like to go for Double Jeopardy, where the prizes really double?_

"So, am I crazy? Is he crazy? Yeah, that one seems more likely, Damon always has been a bit off. But there's something to what he's saying, I can _feel_ it. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing up, in a dream for God's sake. So something's happening here."

Damon listened to her inner monologue with rapt attention, wondering what would happen to them both when she figured out that this was no dream. Would she run screaming? Expose him to the world?

Would he have to kill her?

_You'll have some 'splaining to do, Lucy, cuz yeah - killing her is sooo not an option anymore._

Elena knew her previous assumption that her life was about to change forever was just the tip of the iceberg. Something magical was happening to her, she felt it. Elena didn't know how she'd cope once she awoke, but some part of her was certain this dream was something else entirely. And she needed to figure it out, quickly. So, she began thinking about the questions Damon had asked her, deciding that was probably the best place to start.

Damon had wanted to know if she'd ever bled around Stefan; his question was now obvious in its intent. "Bleeding around a vampire is probably a bad idea," she thought. And though she'd never been injured around him, Stefan's oddities when it came to her period now made so much more sense to her.

Elena's mind drifted back to the first time Stefan had tried to finger her. She'd had no idea her period had come; it was a week early, and she'd had no signs whatsoever. Stefan had completely freaked out. He ran from the room, practically squealing, and had left Elena shell-shocked, crying on her bed for hours. And though she could hardly be blamed, he'd treated her like a leper for weeks afterward.

"Huh, small wonder I had issues about sex with Stefan after the colossal fit he threw that day!" she grumbled internally, totally unaware of how mentally connected she and Damon really were.

_Fucking pansy. As old as you were, lil' bro, you freak over a little virgin blood on your hands? _

_Jesus, I'm embarrassed for you, Stef._

"Okay, so… Stefan couldn't handle me bleeding. That's one check in the 'Elena's not a lunatic' column. What else did Damon ask me about?" she wondered, running over their previous conversation in her head.

"Hey, what was it you were saying about breeding, Damon? I mean, _come on_ – if you really want me to believe you're a vampire, should you really be trying to convince me that dead things can _create_ _life_?"

"Technically speaking, 'Vampire' is the term that you humans came up with to explain our species. I'm not actually sure if we have a 'real'", Damon used air quotes, "name, but amongst our own kind we generally use 'immortal.' Though, I guess that's not entirely accurate either, since we obviously _can_ die. Oh, and I'm very much alive, I'll have you know," he added as an afterthought.

"But vampires are the 'undead'," Elena clarified. "So if you're a vampire, how are you living? Aren't you basically a zombie with sharp teeth?"

"According to Bram Stoker and popular culture, yes, we're animated corpses with fangs. But considering you just bumped uglies my brother, I'd think you'd be rooting for that juicy lil' tidbit to be wrong. Cuz, necrophilia… yeah, that's just plain eewww."

Elena really hadn't thought about that before now. Damon watched as her whole face contorted with the realization that according to her theory, she'd had sex with a dead guy.

"Go ahead, princess, have your momentary wiggins. Fucking corpses warrants it."

"Ha, no lie there!" she quipped, ignoring his vulgarity. "My girly-parts are seriously thinking of going on strike after that happy thought," she laughed, though she was only half kidding. Elena shuddered at the memory of having him in her mouth; just the mere thought of banging dead things had her contemplating nunnery.

"Now that, _that_ would be a crime against nature. _You_ giving up sex. Surely that shit's illegal in all fifty states, and the territory of Guam. You're way too hot to go celibate."

"Thanks?" Elena said, clearly put off that it was only her physical attributes that Damon found appealing.

A part of her knew she shouldn't care one way or the other if Damon found _anything_ about her attractive, but Elena was rapidly becoming more attached to this version of Damon. Far more so than she was willing to admit.

"What's your malfunction? You'd think you'd be happy to hear you're considered a catch? Especially by a higher life-form."

_Jeesh, tell a chick she's hot and she pouts. _

_Women. You can't live with 'em, can't kill them._

_Oh, but wait… _

_**I**__ can._

"Higher life-form, ha! You? Pah-leeze," she rolled her eyes. "But, about that, if you're not dead – what are you?"

"Something more than human, and oh yeah - living. We covered that I'm not dead, yes? Good," he nodded his head at her, as if they'd covered that issue for the last time.

"That's about the best I can narrow it down for ya, toots. None of us really know how we came about. What came first, the human or the immortal? It's a conundrum."

Seeing her blank expression, he took pity on her. "Look, how does any species evolve? No one knows. Did my kind evolve from humans, or humans from us? OR, did we evolve simultaneously so that we could keep the population of _your_ kind under control? Really, Elena, none of us is sure how we got here. Just that we've always been here."

"Ookaayy… so you _do_ eat people?"

"Only the lucky ones," he said with a lascivious grin.

"Pig," she laughed. Even though she knew she should be annoyed at his cavalier attitude, she couldn't help but smile at his persistence and sense of humor. "No, really, Damon. The legends must have come from somewhere."

"Yes, we drink human blood. Eating, I reserve for food or other _delicacies_…"

"Holy banana balls, Damon! I get it, you like to eat at the 'Y'! Can we move beyond the sexual innuendos for a bit, please?"

_Kill-joy._

"Sure. Whatever. Yes, on occasion, when I'm out of blood bags or I'm injured, then yes. I _eat_ people."

"So you're a killer?" she asked quietly, shocked that she felt no fear toward him at this realization.

"Not unless I have to be, Elena. I'm not Jack the Ripper, for fuck's sake. I have impeccable table manners, I'll have you know."

She snorted at the thought of him tapping a vein at their antique dining room table. "Yeah, about that, I've seen you and Stefan eat food…"

"Again, I'm. Not. Dead. Are you keeping up at all? Are you even trying? _Of course_ I eat, seeing as how I'm NOT DEAD. My kind also does less appealing things, like get rid of waste, just so you know. Not. Dead. 'Kay, snookums?"

Elena busted up laughing at that. There was never a time she'd dreamed she'd hear Damon Salvatore say "snookums," and the reality that he just had was priceless to her. He was so much different than she'd ever imagined, so much more playful and fun. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry at how cool Damon could be, when he wanted to.

"That is, if this dream version _is_ the real Damon," Elena thought.

"Oh, it's really me, Lena. But kindly remember that I'm enough of an ass most of the time that no one will believe your lies," he smirked.

"Holy schnikies, Batman! You can hear my thoughts too?!"

"Okay, first off, we really need to talk about your obsession with all things 'holy', because your nun comment is really starting to concern me now. And, second, yes. I can. Though, I didn't really mean to let that slip. Bad Elena, being all distracting with your uncharacteristically nice thoughts of me," he scolded her, waggling his thick finger in her face again.

This time, however, Elena was unable to resist her baser urges and bit right down on it.

It was hardly a carnivorous bite, yet she still managed to knick the skin enough to draw blood. The tiny droplet the flowed into her mouth was enough to leave them both immobile.

He tasted like nothing she'd ever had; sweet, salty, with the tiniest hint of copper, and something she had no name for. It was earthy, a little bit naughty, and was what she'd always imagined magic would taste like. She moaned around his finger, her teeth instinctively going back for seconds in her desperation for more of him.

Had Damon not been as old as he was, he'd have been unable to resist stripping her bare, pinning her down, and fucking her senseless as he drank deeply from her. No one had ever been so bold with him.

_Bite him? _

_Him, of all immortals? _

_Inconceivable._

_Yet, here was Elena Gilbert, defying all known logic - again. _

He was certain this girl would be the end of him. And while Damon might have been able to control his most primal instincts, he was still a man. A man who'd desired this young woman for longer than he'd care to admit. Plus, something about the feel of his blood as it entered her system this time was teasing his senses.

Gnawing at him.

Something monumental was happening.

He _knew_ it. Felt it.

He groaned loudly as her teeth tore at his flesh again, sending shockwaves to his instantly erect dick. Unable to resist, he ripped his finger from her mouth as he cupped the back of her head with his other hand. Elena gasped in shock as his lips crashed into hers, the kiss so much different from any she'd ever experienced before. It was hungry, animalistic and utterly reckless. It was… changing?

As Damon's lips met Elena's a jolt ran through his very being, an awareness he'd never imagined. Where a moment ago he'd practically attacked her in a blind passion, now all he could think of was cherishing her – savoring her. His frantic pace slowed, his lips suckled hers as his tongue hesitantly sought entrance to heaven.

Elena cautiously opened her mouth and allowed her tongue to dance with his. Even this kiss was so unlike anything she'd ever encountered before. It was so skilled, so gentle, so unexpected from _Damon_. As his tongue caressed hers, she was almost embarrassed of the wetness that was rapidly gathering between her legs.

"Dream or not, just kissing him could seriously make me come!" she thought as her hands wound their way into his silken hair.

Hearing her unguarded admission pulled Damon up short. This might only be a dream to her, but there was no way in hell he'd waited all these years to have her only to have her believe it wasn't real. And something else was dawning on him…

All his obsessing, his lurking, his hanging on her every. Fucking. Word. Now made sense.

_Nooooo…_

_It fucking can't be._

_NO. Nope. _

_Nuhuh._

_Fuckity, fuck, FUCK!_

_**%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**_

_**Whoa –ho- ho… wonder what's going on here? **_

_**Any guesses?**_

_**Please check out my new TVD story "Come Over." It's an all-human Delena story. And for those of you who already have, I'm happy to announce that I will be continuing it. I hope to update it very soon. Thank you to all of you who read and supported that story! (as well as this one, of course!)**_

_**Love and hugs to all, thanks for reading!**_


	11. An Unexpected Truth

_**LONG AUTHOR'S NOTE (sorry) – **_

_**First I need to say that the "most awesome chicklet ever" award goes to Marebare1979 for not only always leaving wonderful reviews, but for quoting The Princess Bride to me for my use of the word "inconceivable"… you freaking ROCK, Mare. I can never, ever use that word without hearing Indigo in my head. You've made my day, girl, yet again.**_

_**And, Mare also brought up a good point. For those who don't know what the phrase "eat at the 'Y'" means, it's meant to signify oral sex on a female. When the lady has her hands above her head and her legs open, from the male's POV she looks like a Y. Hence, he's eating at the Y. Strange, I know – but, so am I, lol. So it works. Hope that clears up any confusion I may have caused y'all.**_

_**Thanks to my beta tukct81 for her priceless input! She put up with me sending three (yes three) drafts of this to her before she even got a chance to look at one, lol. You are a goddess, my friend!**_

_**And a HUGE thank you to everyone who's reading, has favorited, reviewed, or alerted this story. **_

_**Character names, not mine – Ms. Smith and the CW own those. I'm just the lucky author playing with them for a bit.**_

_**Enjoy…**_

_**%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**_

Damon pulled back as gently as possible; savoring every last millisecond that his lips touched hers, relishing the taste of her on his tongue. As much as he hated for this moment to end, he desperately needed to prove his new theory wrong.

_Or prove it right, and then throw myself off a bridge._

_And I know just what bridge to use, too..._

"Elena, I've gotta go."

"Oh, okay…"

Damon could hear her berating herself internally. "You do know I'd much rather stay here and play kissy-face with you all day, right?" he reassured her. "I mean, who would _willingly_ choose funeral planning over sexy time? Especially when it's with you? But you need to rest, Lena."

"But who says I'm not resting? This is only a dream, after all," she teased, hoping to delay his departure.

"Pah-leeze, kid. Surely you realize that any sex with me would wear you out, right? It'd slow your recovery, you'd probably end up breaking something, and then you'd be stuck in the hospital forever," Damon joked, Elena's coy smile at his words making his dick stir.

"Who says _you're_ not the one who'd end up in need of medical attention? I might surprise you," she teased, unsure where this new side of her had come from. She'd never been this… _sex-kittenish_ with Stefan.

What was even stranger to Elena was that she didn't feel guilty about being so coquettish with Damon now. Even though she knew she should.

_Who the fuck needs a Barbie?_

_Naughty nurse Elena._

_Little hat, even littler skirt, bikini top, red stilettos… _

_Fuuuck._

_No hope of a cold shower curing this NOW._

Mentally willing his erection away with images of Dead-fish Forbes, Damon responded, "With you, my dear, I'm learning anything is possible. Lena, get some rest. I've got a big day filled with unpleasant deeds ahead of me, and you need your sleep to heal. I'll come see you later today," he paused. "In the real world," Damon clarified with a smirk.

Elena's breath caught in her throat; she wasn't ready for him to leave. She tried to tell herself that she was simply terrified of being alone, nothing more. But she knew the truth.

"Is it weird that I'll miss you?" she hadn't really meant to say that aloud, and was almost embarrassed she had until she remembered that he'd hear anyway, out loud or not.

"Yes," he laughed. "But shhh… don't tell anyone" he stage whispered. "I'll miss you _juuust_ a little too," he smiled, gesturing with his arms spread wide to show how 'little' he'd miss her.

Smiling at his display, Elena asked in a quiet voice, "Will you come back _here_, too?"

The thought of never seeing this kinder, more playful, side of Damon again made Elena's blood run cold. They may have hated one another before Stefan died, and perhaps they still would in the real world, but for now Damon was all Elena had.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll figure out some way to entice me in again."

Elena wasn't sure what he'd meant by that, but her energy was leaving her at light-speed so she filed it away for later.

"Was any of this real, Damon?" Elena had to ask, not really expecting a serious answer from him.

"That's for me to know and for you to dot, dot, dot…"

Elena knew there were so many things for her brain to process if she was even going to _attempt_ to entertain the idea that Damon was really a vampire. But one question stood out for her more than any other.

"How old are you, anyway?"

Damon smirked, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Let's table that discussion for another psychic hotline chat, shall we?"

"Fine. Spoilsport," she pouted, her eyelids suddenly made of lead.

Elena panicked as Damon drifted away from her, cursing his smug smile as she desperately grasped at his hand. She was deeply saddened as the lake faded and morphed into the bright hospital room. Elena wasn't sure she wanted to go back to the real world; she enjoyed her dreams _so_ much more.

"The sooner you get better, the sooner you'll get out of there," Damon sing-songed in a whisper as the last bits of him disappeared.

The problem was, Elena wasn't sure she wanted to get out of there.

Too much change, too much uncertainty and heartache, awaited Elena in her new reality. She knew none of this could possibly be real, but a part of her believed him; believed in all of this. Now, whether her belief meant that she was completely nuts, or not, remained to be seen.

The only thing that Elena _was_ sure of was that she'd never have the nerve to ask Damon about any of it outside of their dream world.

Damon leapt from the couch once Elena released him for their mind meld. He had a million things to do today (what with planning the memorials), but the only thing Damon could think of was getting to the hospital.

He needed to see Elena, and he needed to see her NOW.

_There's no way. _

_No fucking way I'm right about this._

_They say destiny can be a cruel mistress. _

_Ha! _

_She's a dirty whore._

With shaking hands, Damon poured a generous helping of bourbon and downed it in one swallow, then quickly repeated his actions. Twice. Several deep breaths later, Damon rushed out the front door and hopped into his Camaro. He needed to feel the wind in his hair, desperately hoping it would clear his mind.

_Centuries. _

_Centuries I've waited._

_It can't be…_

His mind swimming with alternate possibilities, Damon arrived at the hospital in no time flat. He'd had no idea how much time had passed while he was trapped in La La Land with Elena, so he was floored when the clock on the hospital tower read two-thirty am.

_Holy shit! I got home at just after five last evening._

_I was in there with her for… eight-ish hours?_

_What in the hell is this girl doing to me?_

Damon went in search of someone he could convince to ignore his afterhour's presence. After unleashing his charm on the nurse and attending doctor he encountered on Elena's floor, he was finally able to be alone with her.

He'd finally get to the bottom of this.

Damon entered her room like a man walking the plank, uncertain baby steps carrying him forward, terrified of what he'd find at the end. On auto-pilot he trudged to her bedside, his breath catching at the sight of the girl before him.

Though she was still battered and broken, she looked so much better than the last time he'd seen her. Unfortunately they'd done a mediocre job of cleaning the blood from her beautiful face, and Damon longed to have her home so he could bathe her – take care of her.

_Fuuuuck!_

He knew his instincts were right, knew it to his core. Damon had never cared enough to want to bathe someone else. The very idea of washing someone as if _he_ were a servant was preposterous to him. Yet there he was, a washcloth inexplicably in his hand, as he tended to her gently.

_What the…_

Damon recoiled from her, taking the washcloth with him. He was lost in his thoughts until she whimpered softly. It was then that he noticed her face was scrunched up, scowling slightly.

"Damon," she rasped; her voice barely a whisper.

He was flabbergasted that she was aware of anything with all the drugs she was on; he could smell them in her, polluting her natural fragrance. And he hated it. Damon had never realized how much her scent affected him until it wasn't pure anymore.

_She's my home._

_And she knows I'm here._

Once he'd cleaned her up as best he could, Damon knew he couldn't delay any longer. Every part of him knew the truth, knew what she was to him, but without proof he could still believe there was a chance…

For several long moments Damon warred with himself; he needed to know if he was right about her, but loathed the idea that the first time he'd taste her was for a science experiment.

Sighing heavily, Damon pulled the hospital chair next to the bed, seating himself between her waist and head. He gingerly lifted her good arm to his mouth, cradling it in his hands like a gift as he placed butterfly kisses upon it. His lips caressed her palm, each knuckle and the back of her hand before he turned her arm over and placed several suckling kisses to the inside of her wrist.

Watching Elena's skin flush crimson as her blood rose to the surface stirred other feelings within him. Damon fought the thickening of his member at just the _thought_ of biting her, hissing slightly as his fangs pierced the surface of his gums. No matter how many times he'd allowed his canines to break free, he'd never get over the initial rush of them penetrating his own flesh as they became fully erect. It was the perfect balance of pleasure and pain.

_Annnd, speaking of erect… down, boy. It's sooo not the time for you yet._

His tongue laved Elena's velvety skin, moaning at the taste of her, before allowing his pointed friends to enter her reverently. Time was lost to him as her blood seeped into his mouth.

Nothing else mattered now.

Her flavor burst through his senses, tearing everything he was to shreds.

He was destroyed, flayed open and utterly broken.

The first pull on her wrist gathered up Damon's tattered pieces, assembling them into a sensible pile.

The second pull rebuilt him.

The man Damon Salvatore had been was gone forever.

He was _hers_ now.

Damon pressed his lips to her wrist to staunch the blood flow, before slicing his own tongue open on one of his fangs. He quickly ran his weeping tongue over the wounds he'd caused, healing her as if he'd never been there.

But he had.

And now, he'd never leave again.

For what could have been hours, or days, Damon sat at her bedside. Watching as Elena slept, completely out of his depth. Her hand nestled between his, his forehead resting upon their joined mitts, as he fought for control of his emotions. Damon had once thought that this tiny girl ran his emotions like a marathon.

He'd had no idea.

It wasn't a marathon, it was a million 100m dashes strung together in a continuous loop.

_Ha! __Usain Bolt, you got nuthin' on sweet lil' Elena Gilbert._

Finally somewhat composed, Damon reluctantly left Elena's side in search of a storeroom. Once found, he made quick work of gathering up the equipment he needed and hurried back to her room. A momentary prick to the inside of his elbow, and Damon was in business. His mind distracted as he watched his blood fill the syringe, worrying about the delicate balance between speed and discovery.

Damon injected the first vial full of his blood into Elena's once severed arm, before going back to his own for more. Time and time again Damon drew his life-force into the tiny tube, only to share it with Elena. He injected both of her arms, her legs, and her stomach (for good measure), before he was satisfied.

_Guess that joke about tapping a vein like a kegerator wasn't so far off after all_, Damon thought as his vision began to blur.

_How long's it been since I've slept? _He wondered as he glanced at the wall clock.

_Fuck, almost forty-eight hours? _

Feeling drained from lack of sleep and blood loss, Damon resigned to leave her, knowing he needed to rest himself. Before heading home, Damon left instructions with the hospital staff to limit her tests and to call him the _moment_ she awoke.

Trudging up the stairs with leaden legs, Damon had barely stripped off his clothes before falling into bed, asleep as his head hit the pillow. Considering how hard it had been to leave her, Damon was hardly surprised when he found himself standing next to her hospital bed.

"Damon," she whispered in her sleep.

_Oh… fuck it. Why not?_

Damon tenderly moved her over just enough for him to crawl into bed beside her, cocooning himself around her immediately. Elena's breathing hitched slightly before her hand found his atop the covers. Both of them sighed as her fingers laced with his.

"Missed you," Elena cooed sleepily.

"You too, baby," he whispered. "Now, sleep."

Damon had no idea whether this was an actual dream, or another fugue state, but he didn't care either way. All that mattered was that he was with her now.

With a gentle squeeze to her hand, Damon drifted off to into a peaceful sleep.

_**%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**_

_**Any thoughts on what his "unexpected truth" is – what Elena is to him? Hmmmm…**_

_**On another note… since I seem to be back to writing more frequently, I'm thinking I'm also going to continue my original TVD fic, "Anymore" – I'd had such high hopes for this season, and yet it was an epic fail in my humble opinion. Not that Damon and Elena didn't have some great moments, but for the most part, blech. Blechy, yuck, yuck.**_

_**I have however fallen in love with Klaus this season, oh – and for good measure, I think I've developed a tiny crush on Elijah as well…**_

_**Gotta keep our options open, ladies, right?!**_

_**LOL!**_

_**So anyway, look for the next chapter of that in the coming weeks too.**_

_**Love and hugs to all, thanks for reading!**_


	12. Two Funerals and a Mate

_**Thanks to my beta tukct81 for her priceless input! **_

_**And thank you to everyone who's reading, has favorited, reviewed, or alerted this story. **_

_**Character names, not mine – Ms. Smith and the CW own those. I'm just the lucky author playing with them for a bit.**_

_**Enjoy…**_

_**%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**_

_**Previously…**_

Feeling drained from lack of sleep and blood loss, Damon resigned to leave her, knowing he needed to rest himself. Before heading home, Damon left instructions with the hospital staff to limit her tests and to call him the _moment_ she awoke.

Trudging up the stairs with leaden legs, Damon had barely stripped off his clothes before falling into bed, asleep as his head hit the pillow. He was hardly surprised when moments later he found himself standing next to her hospital bed, considering how hard it had been to leave her there.

"Damon," she whispered in her sleep.

_Oh… fuck it. Why not?_

Damon tenderly moved her over just enough for him to crawl into bed beside her, cocooning himself around her immediately. Elena's breathing hitched slightly before her hand found his atop the covers. Both of them sighed as her fingers laced with his.

"Missed you," Elena cooed sleepily.

"You too, baby," he whispered. "Now, sleep."

Damon had no idea whether this was an actual dream, or another fugue state, but he didn't care either way. All that mattered was that he was with her now.

With a gentle squeeze to her hand, Damon drifted off to into a peaceful sleep.

_**%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**_

Before his eyes had opened, Damon knew where he was. He heard her steady heartbeat, smelled her heavenly scent. He felt her warm and soft and safe in his arms. If anyone, including Elena, could see him now as he snuggled deeper into the mattress (purring like a kitten, mind you), Damon would have been mortified.

_Ten thousand dollar bed at home and it's this two-bit hospital bed that turns me into a fucking pussy._

_Literally._

_What're ya doin' to me here, kid?_

Damon watched Elena for several long moments as she slept, relishing the feeling of having her near.

_My mate._

Damon never dreamed he'd find her. He'd traveled the globe, lived in nearly every city at one point or another, had done things most could only imagine.

_And I find her here, after centuries of waiting, in Bumfuck Virginia._

_Incredible._

But finding his mate still didn't explain their strange connection. He'd known several mated immortals over the years, and had never heard of such a thing occurring. Ever. And while having someone in control of his consciousness was unnerving, Damon wouldn't change a moment of it.

As he lay there, Damon longed for a way to stay here with her forever, furious that he'd have to leave soon to plan the funerals. She was so soft and warm, and he felt so much better knowing that he was there with her to keep her safe.

_Too bad I can't do both._

_Hold please… _

_Light bulb!_

Damon doubted it would work, but he had to try anyway. He concentrated on those soft filaments within her, caused by their shared blood. He stroked them, gently stretching them, as he pulled his physical body from her. Damon could feel his consciousness splitting in two, but yet there was no pain.

He was stupefied.

Just when he was sure Elena couldn't surprise him further, she pulled out something new. Damon was clearly lying in his own bed, in his own room, when he opened his eyes – yet he could still see Elena in the hospital room. Still feel her in his arms.

_I'll be goddamned._

He got up, showered, and then went downstairs to make the necessary phone calls. He was taken aback when he checked his cell phone and saw the date.

_Monday? March 21__st__? _

_Wha…_

He'd slept for more than twenty-four hours.

Shaking off his initial shock, Damon got to work. Both memorials were scheduled for Friday to allow for those who needed to travel. After he'd called the announcements into the local paper, Damon allowed himself to slip fully back into the part of him that was still with Elena. He'd only been gone a little over two hours when he finally returned to her, though it felt like an eternity to him.

_This is for the birds. _

_What? I can't go five minutes without her now?_

_Thanks for the heads up, mom and dad. Ya coulda warned me that finding your mate turns you into a simpering, needy, pansy-ass. It woulda been helpful…_

Damon had only been back a few minutes when Elena began to stir, snuggling herself in closer to him and whispering his name. Once she awoke fully, Elena admitted to being glad to find him still there, even if it wasn't real. Not correcting her assumption, Damon explained about the funerals.

"I wish I could be there, Damon," she sighed. "I can't believe I'll miss both memorials."

Damon simply held her closer, saying nothing as an idea came to him.

They continued to cling to one another as they talked. Elena shared her fears with him of being alone, and of what would happen to her family's home now. Damon admitted his loneliness at the thought of living without Stefan. For hours they lay there getting to know one another, revealing their deepest secrets.

They were vaguely aware of the nurses and doctors that tended to Elena in the real world, both happy to ignore the intrusions when they could. Several times Damon had to leave to answer phone calls or the door bell, other times it was Elena that was pulled away for testing. But time and time again, they reunited.

"How long have your parents been dead, Damon?" she asked quietly as she drew nonsensical patterns on his arm.

"A long while," he answered, distracted.

"It must be hard, living for so many years and watching everyone you love pass on. I'm sorry." Damon simply nodded in response.

"Speaking of years, are you ever going to tell me how old you really are?" she smiled.

"Older than dirt," he snarked, a strange growly undertone to his voice.

Something was obviously bothering Damon. His answers were becoming more and more clipped, and his patience level seemed to be nonexistent.

Attempting to lighten the mood, Elena poked him in the side lightly, "What are ya, like a billion?" she laughed. "Come on, Damon, _shock_ me."

"Does it fucking matter? I'm old. Been around a long time. End of story," he snapped, his whole body tensing.

"Damon?" Elena's eyes wide as she questioned him.

"What?! Enough with the show and tell. I've shown, and told. Your turn," he barked, pulling away from her slightly.

Elena slowly raised her head from his chest, meeting his eyes for the first time in hours. She was shocked to find his fangs obviously extended though hidden behind his lips, which were pulled into a tight line. His brow furrowed in concentration, his eyes that intense sapphire color from earlier.

"Damon, how long has it been since you've eaten?" she asked quietly, raising a tentative hand to his face.

"How the fuck would I know? I've been playing hair-braiding bestie in here with you."

Elena pulled Damon's phone from his pocket and checked the date. It was three in the morning on March 24th.

_Days_ had passed without either of them realizing it.

The memorials were later today. Damon's jaw dropped when she showed him, awed by their bond yet again.

Elena cautiously began to stroke his cheek, suggesting as calmly as possible that he leave her for a bit. "You're starving, Damon. I don't want you hurting," she whispered.

"Lena," Damon breathed.

He was sickened by his behavior toward her, "I'm so sor…"

Elena stopped him, soothing him. She pleaded with him to leave, even though the thought of it made _her_ nauseous. Back and forth they went, but Damon vehemently refused to leave.

"Fine," she huffed. "Drink," she ordered as she lifted her wrist to his mouth.

"No. No fucking way," he bellowed as he sank further into the bed in a vain effort at escape.

"Then leave," Elena commanded. "It's one or the other, Damon. You're starving, and you're going to end up hurting someone. Maybe killing someone, if you don't eat soon," she paused to stroke his face gently.

"Look, I'll grab a bite when I go. Maybe I'll charm a pretty nurse," Damon said, waggling his eyes at her.

Elena's stomach lurched at the thought of his mouth on another woman.

"I don't want to see you in pain, Damon. You've done so much to help me since the accident and I just… _please,_ let me help you."

Perhaps it was the desperate, pleading tone of her voice. Or that she smelled like herself again. Or maybe it was just that he was so terribly hungry and her blood tasted like nothing he'd ever encountered.

But whatever the cause, he was lost.

"Besides, they can always top me off if you take too much. I am in a hospital after all, giving blood _is_ one of their specialties," Elena joked, her voice shaky and a bit breathless with anticipation as she watched his resolve disappear.

With a needy, throaty groan, Damon gently grabbed Elena's arm with both hands. His eyes locked on hers, he placed several suckling kisses to the inside of her wrist before slowly revealing his teeth to her.

"I won't hurt you, Lena," he whispered.

"I know you won't," she sighed, the suspense almost painful.

Damon placed a final deliberate, almost wanton kiss to her skin before allowing his fangs to touch her flesh. Elena's eyes traveled to his mouth, spellbound as the tips of his teeth entered her wrist.

Elena gasped, but not from pain.

A twenty-one gun salute went off in her skin. Bullets packed with lightning drenched need raced to her belly, warming her from the inside out. Her thighs clenched as she felt herself dampening. Elena bit back a moan as his teeth fully penetrated her skin and she swore that she could feel them swelling within her, desperate in their need.

Restraint was lost to her at the first pull of his mouth and she was unable to hold back her pleas. Damon's crotch tightened painfully at her breathy moan, memorizing how her eyes fluttered closed as he drew at her wrist. He wanted to weep with joy as her hand found the back of his head, her fingers instinctively pulling through his soft locks.

Petting him, encouraging him, keeping them joined.

He could have stayed in that moment forever, the intimacy more than either had ever experienced, and Elena tasted _so_ good to him. But she'd been injured so badly and had lost so much blood, he couldn't hurt her further. He hissed instinctively as his fangs withdrew from her skin, enraged to lose their connection.

Only Elena's hand, still gently combing through his hair, kept him from succumbing to his fury. Making sure Elena was watching Damon sliced his tongue with a fang before sinfully dragging it over her wounds. The look in his eyes and the feel of his warm, soft tongue on her skin made her whimper.

"Thank you," he sighed, moving to kiss her forehead reverently.

"Did you get enough?"

"I'll be fine, don't worry."

Elena gently pushed Damon so that he'd lie on his back, then immediately snuggled into him, laying her head above his heart. She rested her open hand on his chest, her thumb idly caressing him as he stroked the back of her head. For several moments neither spoke, both woefully unprepared for any of this.

"This isn't just a dream, is it, Damon?"

His heart clenched at her whispered voice, so full of fear and confusion.

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"No," she laughed humorlessly. "But I still think you need to."

Elena knew the answer, knew it in every fiber of her being, but she still hoped she was wrong. It was all just too much, too… out of this world.

"I don't know _exactly_ what this is, but it's no dream."

Damon left out the fact that it had to be something about her causing it, as well as any talk of mates, knowing she was in no way prepared for either of those discussions right now.

"I'm in a coma, right?"

Damon nodded. "They've got you in a medically induced one to help you heal."

"What are we going to do when I wake up?"

Everything about waking was terrifying to Elena. Where would she live? Who would be her guardian? She couldn't stand the thought of foster care. Would she walk again? What of these new feelings for Damon? The guilt would be overwhelming, not to mention what the town would think of her for dating Stefan's brother. It was all just such a mess, and Elena was bordering on hysterical.

"I'm guessing you're going to ignore the shit out of me, and possibly be an even bigger pain in the ass then you were before," he laughed, trying to lighten her mood. Plus he loved her fire, and looked forward to seeing it soon.

"No offense, Lena, but you're way better at avoidance and deflection than you are at coping with things you don't like."

He'd seen it a million times with her. When she didn't like something, she became angry and defiant. As smart and sassy as his girl was, she never dealt with problems head-on.

"You know, I'd love to get mad about that but you're sooo right. I can really be a pain, and I'm sorry in advance."

Elena knew she was going to be terrible to him, that she'd fight him tooth and nail on absolutely everything from the moment her eyes opened. Not only was all this supernatural stuff too much to process, but her loyalty to Stefan demanded she fight her growing feelings for Damon.

"You're not ready, Lena. I get that. But just know, I'll still be here when you are," he promised, knowing he'd wait forever if he had to now that he'd finally found her.

"Thank you, Damon."

They stayed like that, holding and caressing each other, for several long moments. Damon cursed the universe, knowing that he had to leave now.

"You'll likely be awake either later today, or maybe tomorrow. I can hear and smell how much your body has healed."

While she was relieved to hear this, she was also deeply saddened that their time together was coming to an end.

"Do you want me to visit you once you're awake, Lena?"

Damon hated the insecurity he heard in his voice, but he couldn't help it. He needed her, needed to be near her now even more than before.

"Yes, but… I can't promise I'll be nice to you, and I'm sorry," Elena whined, desperate for his understanding.

"S'okay, really. Stop apologizing. _I get it_. But, since we're not gonna be snuggle buddies for a while…"

Elena was about to ask what he meant when his hands encased her; one sliding under her waist and gripping her tightly, the other holding her face gently as his mouth found hers.

The shock of his movement rendering her immobile momentarily as his lips brushed against hers. They were soft, tender and sent tingles through her skin that rushed straight to her core. Soon she couldn't resist him, the draw to him too powerful.

Her hands clung to him, one fisting his shirt as the other tangled in his hair. She gave herself to his kiss, opening her mouth slightly and inviting him in. She groaned at the flavor of him, certain she'd never get enough but knowing she'd never taste him again.

The thought of this ending sent waves of crushing desperation through her. Elena loved the feel of his tongue caressing hers. She was addicted to the taste of his mouth, the smell of his skin, the feel of his arms around her. She took comfort and solace in the sound of his voice, the melody of his laughter.

Elena needed him, and yet – she couldn't have him.

"I don't want to lose you, Damon," she whispered as she pulled away, resting her forehead against his. "I'm not ready to deal with, well… any of this. But I can't lose you."

"You'll never lose me, never. I'll take care of you, honey, don't worry," he promised. "And someday, when you're ready, we'll pick back up here."

Elena nodded at him afraid to speak, she was so close to tears. He held her for few minutes more; their foreheads still touching, their eyes locked, until he had no choice but to leave.

As he faded away, Elena allowed her tears to fall. She cried for the loss of her parents and Stefan. And shockingly, she wept for the loss of Damon. She never dreamed he'd become so important to her, but he had.

Damon quickly got ready and rushed to the service for her parents, wanting to be early to set things up. He spoke to the funeral director, making arrangements. Damon was so grateful he'd thought of this, he knew how much it would mean to Elena.

Much of the town turned out for both services, and Damon was shocked at how many people spoke at both. Just as Damon stepped to the podium, the final speaker at Stefan's service, Elena opened her eyes across town.

_**%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**_

_**Hmm… she's awake… **_

_**Wonder what happens now?**_

_**Love and hugs to all, thanks for reading!**_


	13. A Waking Nightmare

_**Thanks to my beta tukct81 for her priceless input! **_

_**And thank you to everyone who's reading, has favorited, reviewed, or alerted this story. **_

_**Character names, not mine – Ms. Smith and the CW own those. The mess created for them here… yeah, that's all me.**_

_**Enjoy…**_

_**%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**_

Blinding, white hot light assaulted Elena's senses.

The air smelled of bleach and fear and death.

She was lying on something cruel and unforgiving, and hurt in places she never knew she had.

Elena blinked. Once. Twice.

It was still too bright, too aseptic.

She closed her eyes, counted to three and opened them again.

No change.

Elena closed her eyes again in a vain attempt at escape.

Her breathing picked up, fear tickled her, teased her.

_What happened to me?_

_What is that beeping?_

_Voices. _

_Touching._

_Get your hands off me!_

"Go away, too bright," she tried to say, but couldn't hear herself speak.

Elena slowly opened her eyes to see a familiar looking elderly lady fussing over her. She stared at the woman's lips as they moved, certain that she should understand.

But she didn't.

The sounds were jumbled, like those old record players when set to slow speed. Nothing made sense. Elena could see the woman's lips stirring, could hear sounds escaping her, yet all she heard was gibberish.

Elena closed her eyes once more, counted to three and tried again. "Hurt," she rasped.

Elena tried to focus on the woman again as she explained "… Accident… sorry… loss," but only pieces made any sense.

"Where?" Elena tried to ask, her voice sounding as if she'd gargled razor blades.

"… hospital… accident… your parents…"

Elena's pulse began to race causing the monitors to whirl and sing.

_Accident. _

_Stefan! _

_Noooo…_

"My body," Elena rasped in a panic.

The nurse hit a button that would bring help as she tried to hold the flailing girl down, terribly worried that Elena would end up damaging herself further with all her fussing.

_My parents? _

_Oh. God._

Memories besieged Elena as she struggled with the nurse, zapping her energy from her.

Stefan's dead body, all the blood, her severed arm and mangled legs, Damon at her bedside, her parent's goodbye.

Elena stopped struggling and sank into the mattress in shock. Surely she'd imagined it all, none of that could possibly be real. Elena lay there, listening again as the heavyset nurse explained her condition using words like "miraculous recovery."

"He saved you," Elena remembered her parent's words.

_No…_

_The dreams!_

_It couldn't be…_

Struck nearly catatonic with the force of her memories, Elena barely noticed the hospital staff rushing to her bedside. She never felt the prick of the needle that would lull her back into sweet oblivion.

_Lake… warm and soft, scoot… teeth… vampire… _

_MY WRIST!_

Elena blinked, her eyes suddenly leaded silk as she noticed the bizarre haze in the room, wondering if a fog was rolling in.

When the nurse finally relinquished her death grip on Elena's arms, she brought her wrist to her face slowly, terrified. She stared at it as if it held all the answers to life's questions while the nurse prattled on. Turning it to and fro Elena studied it, looking for proof.

_There._

_Right there, there's…_

_No. _

_Can't be._

With eyes cartoonishly wide, Elena stared at her skin.

Two shiny, pink, angry looking marks glared back at her.

_No._

_No way._

_He's not really a… no!_

Elena refused to even think the word.

Her stomach heaved as her vision blurred.

"… should help you calm… time to heal… rest…"

Elena wished desperately that the nurse would start talking in full sentences. Obviously what the woman had to say was important, but Elena couldn't understand her.

"… sedative…"

"Date?"

"… March 24th…"

_No._

"… for days… funerals today…"

_Can't be._

_I'm dreaming. In a coma or something._

_Not real._

Not…

Elena fell into the drug induced slumber, finally silencing the blustering monitors. The hospital had given her a fairly mild sedative; they wanted to end her terror, not put her back into another coma.

Almost a full day passed as Elena enjoyed a dreamless reprieve.

When Elena awoke hours later, the familiar smile of Dr. Connor greeted her, instantly putting her at ease.

"You ready to rejoin the living, kiddo?" he grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he patted her hand atop the blankets.

"What happened?" Elena rasped.

Elena listened as her father's best friend explained the whole ordeal, minus any supernatural mumbo-jumbo. Dr. Connor held her as she cried for all she'd lost, for all the things she'd never get to experience.

_How can everyone I love be dead?_

Elena wondered where she'd live now, who would care for her. _Could_ she even take care of herself after all her injuries? With a heavy heart she listened to Doc as he catalogued her lost list of injuries, knowing her road to recovery would be a long and grueling one. Especially since she was now facing it alone. And when the man who she'd always considered a second father mentioned "social worker", Elena bit back a scream.

_Would he really let me go to strangers?_

Elena was immensely proud of herself for withholding her tears as he explained all the reasons why they couldn't take on another child right now. Sure, all of them were somewhat valid reasons, but he was her Godfather for crying out loud. Elena couldn't understand how he could throw her to the wolves like this.

_Bet you're up there a gripin' and a moanin', aren't ya, Daddy? Doc isn't such a hero now, is he?_

Elena made excuses about being tired and needing her rest in order to get her surrogate father to leave the room. She simply couldn't take it anymore. It was all too much.

Months.

She was looking at months of recovery. Rehabilitation, therapy, medical equipment… it was never ending, and it hadn't even begun yet.

Elena was exhausted already. She needed rest, something to pull her away from her new reality.

Escape.

The idea was titillating.

Elena closed her eyes and focused on the surface of the lake, the setting sun's rays dancing across the surface as she listened to the loon's sing. Within moments, she drifted off to sleep.

Elena opened her eyes to find herself suddenly drowning in the bluest of seas. For several seconds she allowed herself to drift, surrounded by blissful serenity.

Then she heard _his_ voice.

"Rise and shine, lazy bones. _You_ aren't the one that died."

_No… no way! _

_Really?! _

_Fanfreakingtastic. _

_Just when I thought things couldn't possibly get worse…_

_**%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**_

_**I know it's a shorter chapter than normal, but next chapter we get back to Damon. Can't wait to see the fireworks between them!**_

_**Also, while the next chapter is written, it might be a bit until I can post. I'm moving this weekend and RL will demand my full attention for a lil' bit. **_

_**But I promise to come back as soon as I can!**_

_**Love and hugs to all, thanks for reading!**_


	14. Momentary Wiggins

_**Thanks to my beta tukct81 for her priceless input! **_

_**And thank you to everyone who's reading, has favorited, reviewed, or alerted this story. **_

_**Character names, not mine – Ms. Smith and the CW own those. I'm just the lucky author playing with them for a bit.**_

_**Enjoy…**_

_**%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%**_

Damon was mid-sentence when their bond flared to life; Elena's panic scratched and scored his sanity, engraving misery on his every cell. His knees buckled and his speech faltered briefly before he recaptured his unflappable façade.

With grace and dignity Damon finished saying goodbye to his baby brother, pausing briefly as the services wound down to thank those who had come. As soon as decorum would allow, he hurried to find the funeral director to give instructions regarding Elena's gift.

Once finished, Damon headed straight for the hospital. Obviously something had happened to his girl, but he had no idea what. When he'd left her she was fine, happy even.

_What the fuck did those morons do to her?_

Damon rushed into her room to find her sound asleep, snoring lightly. He was flabbergasted. Not an hour ago she was teetering on the edge of hysteria, and now she was sleeping like a baby.

Damon went in search of answers.

At the nurses' station Damon requested to speak to the doctor in charge of Elena's case. A tall, middle-aged man with mahogany hair approached him after several long minutes. The doctor explained that when Elena had awoken she'd become hysterical, the realization of her losses and injuries were too much for her fragile mind to bear.

"She was also rambling on about dreams and bite marks, but… that's her mind's way of protecting itself, of justifying her cataclysmic losses. She's got a long road ahead of her, but she should make a full recovery. I just wish that I could be of more help to her, long term."

Damon didn't understand what the man meant, and asked for clarification.

When he was reluctant to answer, Damon charmed the information from him. Doctor Connor explained how he'd been Grayson's best friend since childhood, and had always promised Grayson to care for Elena should something happen to him and his wife. But that he now loathed the idea of having another child in his home. Dr. Connor's youngest child had finally moved out and he was now getting sex regularly again.

"Are you fucking kidding me, buddy?" Damon seethed. "You're going to leave that beautiful young creature to fend for herself, after everything she's lost in one fucking night, just so you can wet your willie? What the fuck is wrong with you, man? You took an oath to help people, _to do no harm_! And now you're going to throw a teenage girl to the wolves for the sake of your Viagra-fueled cock? You're fucking pathetic. You are a pitiful excuse for a doctor, and a monstrosity of a human being. You don't fucking deserve to live."

The man shrunk back at Damon's rage, the effects of his persuasion waning slightly.

Seeing this, Damon quickly refocused his efforts and brought the doctor back under his thrall.

"You will do everything within your power to make sure that Elena ends up under _my_ care. My mate deserves better than fake smiles while you're stabbing her in the back. You will send any officials sniffing around Elena my way, so that I can explain the situation to them. I'll be damned if I lost my brother after all these years, only to lose Elena to some bureaucratic red-tape bullshit!"

Furious, Damon struggled not to drain the deplorable man dry. He could feel his canines struggling to burst free, aching to relieve this man of his life. He'd had a fairly miserable day, all things considered, and this man's idiocy was doing little to squelch his need for bloodshed.

Growling, Damon added, "_You_ will be the one to tell Elena why she can't live with you. There's no way I'm breaking her heart like that. Plus, you will ignore any 'miraculous' progress she makes in her recovery, noting everything in her charts as perfectly normal. I expect her to be released from this backwater cesspool as soon as possible. God only knows what she could catch from the likes of _you_. So… bring me your three most competent nurses and your next best doctor. _Now_."

Once the man complied, Damon had Dr. Connor usher everyone into his office where Damon proceeded to outline his expectations regarding Elena's care. While she was now his number one priority, Damon still had to ensure that his secret wasn't exposed. These five staff members would be the only ones tending to Elena henceforth.

Not that she'd be staying much longer. Damon would see to that.

"Do you have a _truly_ private room here? Somewhere that would lessen Elena's exposure to anyone else? One you'd use for fellow staff members or celebrities, maybe?"

Once the location was agreed upon, Damon insisted that she be transferred immediately. Damon hovered as the move was completed; fussing over every little detail of her care, before settling into the bedside chair after the last nurse had left the room.

Reaching out to stroke her cheek reverently Damon sighed, "You worried me there for a minute, baby. I can't leave you alone for a minute, can I?"

Suddenly Damon found himself in another of their fugue states, watching as Elena paced back and forth in her hospital room. He sat awestruck as she muttered to herself at a furious tempo.

"I have bite marks… He fucking bit me. He's not really a… NO! No way. What the hell is happening to me? First I'm saying goodbye to my parents on the ghost-hotline, and then I'm having a dream affair with Stefan's brother. I've lost my mind… that's it. Or I'm dead. Am I dead?"

Elena was so wrapped up in her ramblings that she didn't notice Damon's presence and she nearly jumped out of her skin when he spoke, a startled squeak wrenching itself from her chest in the process.

"No, Lena, you're not dead. But you might be soon if you don't dial it back a notch. Jeesh, woman. You're gonna give yourself a heart attack. What's the hubbub, Bub?" he said with a coy smile.

"Fucking bite marks, Damon! That's what! On my wrist! And fangs, YOU have FANGS!" she all but screeched as she lunged at Damon.

The moment she was within arm's reach, Elena brought her hands to Damon's mouth in an attempt to force him to reveal his teeth.

"What are you doing, baby? You're kinda freaking me out a little here," he said as he tried to gently fend off her attack.

"Show me, Damon. Show me your fangs. Now!" she commanded without slowing her assault on his mouth.

"Calm down, cupcake. What's the magic word?" he teased.

After seeing her fierce expression, however, Damon rethought pushing his luck with his enraged mate. Grabbing Elena gently by the shoulders, Damon pulled her back slightly. "Look at me, Lena," he said softly.

When she complied, Damon let his pearly daggers pierce his gums, revealing his true nature to his mate once again. He was thrilled not to have to hide himself from her.

Then Elena collapsed in his arms, weeping uncontrollably.

While he'd known to expect her rejection, it hurt more than he'd anticipated. Her small body vibrated with the force of her sobs, "Too much… was real… fangs… vampire… mate… can't…"

Damon held Elena tightly, whispering words of comfort and encouragement into her chestnut hair. He rubbed and patted her back as he used their connection to help calm her.

"Lena, we talked about this, I know you're going to need time," he said quietly after her sobs turned to sniffles.

"Time? Damon, I need so much more than _time_. I'm mated to my dead boyfriend's vampire brother, my parents are gone, I don't know where I'll live, my boyfriend was immortal – but yet he's dead, and I have bite marks on my wrists," she wailed as her tears reappeared. "_Time_ doesn't begin to cover what I need."

"What can I do, baby? I hate seeing you like this."

They sat for several long moments, his arms holding together what little remained of Elena's sanity. She sobbed and whimpered, each sound pulling at Damon's heart strings.

"Do you want me help you to forget?"

The idea of her forgetting their bond made his own eyes prick with tears, but he'd do it.

_For her._

"I don't want to lose everything we've shared, but I think I _need_ to. At least for a while. Jesus, Damon, it's too much. I wish I was stronger, that I could handle all this. But I just… can't."

"Hey, you're not weak, Lena. You're human. And really, there's only so much doom, gloom, and earth shattering revelations a person can stand at once. You've done so well coping with everything so far… let me help you with the rest. 'Kay?"

"Thank you, Damon. For understanding, for talking me down off ledges, for healing me, for well… being _you_," Elena rasped, her voice thick with emotion.

"It's okay, sweetheart, shhh now. I told you, _I'll be here_. That means for _anything_ you need. You are not alone. Not ever again," he vowed as he kissed her forehead gently.

Elena nodded weakly with a sad smile, "I'm going to miss you, you know."

"Yeah, I know, Lena. I'll miss you, too. But look at it this way… at least _you_ won't know what _you're_ missing. I'm just fucked."

Damon meant the remark to be humorous, but his heartbreak was broadcast in surround sound with every syllable that past his lips.

He was dying inside.

And the way Elena clung to him, she knew it, too.

"Look at me, baby," he commanded with a heartbroken sob.

She shook her head violently against his chest, desperate for a reprieve but terrified to leave him.

"_Lena_…" Damon's voice barely a whisper.

When Elena's eyes met his, her body instantly relaxed, turning her to putty in Damon's arms. A single tear cascaded down Damon's cheek as he spoke the words that would ease her mind, but destroy his soul.

"I love you, my beautiful girl. And I'll miss you more than words can say, but I'm not going anywhere. You come back to me when you're ready, baby. I'll be here, Lena. _Always_," he promised as he tore himself from their dream state.

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_**Poor Lena lost it here, didn't she?**_

_**Love and hugs to all, thanks for reading!**_


	15. A New Reality

_**The characters are not mine, they belong to Ms. Smith and the CW.**_

_**The giant squee of glee I erupted into when I found out that Trogdor19 can work with me again? **_

_**Yeah… I soooo own that! **_

_**The neighbors… perhaps they didn't appreciate my joy. But tough-nuggies on them, cuz I LOVE WORKING WITH HER! If you're not reading her work, you really should be. She's an amazing author with a wicked sense of humor, and an even more amazing person. I'm blessed to call her a friend!**_

_**A special thanks to tukct81 for the work she's done for me with this story so far, unfortunately her RL got a little hectic and she could no longer continue working with me for now. But she's a special person and author, and I enjoyed working with her immensely. I can't say enough good things about her as a person, or her work as both an author and a beta.**_

_**And thank you to everyone who's reading, has favorited, reviewed, or alerted this story. **_

_**Enjoy…**_

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Devastated, Damon left his slumbering mate in search of some respite. Letting her go had been much harder than he'd expected. Oh, he knew it would sting, but this…

_This_ was a bone-grinding pain that vibrated through him from the tips of his toes to the top of his head. And with each step that brought him farther from his mate's side the pain increased exponentially, until there was nothing but mayhem-laced emptiness inside him.

Bloodshed was imminent.

Unavoidable.

And arousing to the point of agony.

While he normally strove to be discrete when drinking from the tap, to blend as if he were a mere mortal, Damon knew that tonight he'd have to let his baser instincts take the wheel. He was not human, no matter how hard he pretended to be.

His kind was at the top of the food chain for a reason, after all.

And tonight he intended to act like the predator he truly was...

**ooOOoo**

"Rise and shine, lazy bones. _You_ aren't the one that died."

"Go. Away. Damon. I've had far too much crap to deal with to put up with your misery right now."

"Yeah… sorry. Can't. Responsibilities and all…"

"What responsibility, Damon? You don't give two shits about me!"

"You're right, _I_ don't. But, _my brother_ did. For whatever reason, Stef found your particular brand of bitchiness charming enough to fall in love with you. He would have wanted me to make sure you were okay. End of story. So the fact that I'd like to drown you in that toilet over there is irrelevant… though, much more entertaining than babysitting."

If only Elena knew what it cost him to say such things to her. It was like white-hot knives filleted his soul with every insult that crossed his lips. He hated being rotten to her, especially now. But she was far from ready for anything else.

"You didn't give two shits about him, either."

"Listen, kid. I know you're scared, and hurt. And Christ, you're probably pissed as hell at the whole world right now. _I know I am_! But you need to shut that pretty little mouth of yours before I lose my temper. My brother is the only person I've had in my life consistently, for longer than I care to remember. And you say I didn't care for him? I _loved_ him. And if taking care of your ungrateful ass helps him to find peace in the afterlife, then it's a price I'm willing to pay." Damon paused to lean directly into Elena's line of sight.

"I'm…"

"Shut. Up, Elena. The grownup is talking now, and the insolent child needs to learn her place. _I_ don't need _you_. _YOU_ need _me_. _Never_ forget that. I will help you, but we will do things my way at all times. And if you don't like it, you're welcome to enter the Virginia Foster Care System. Your choice."

"Damon, I'm…"

"Tick, tock, princess. We haven't got all day, and this offer has a shelf-life."

Elena took a deep breath and Damon watched with bated breath as her decision played across her face like a film. "Thank you, Damon, for being willing to take me in."

"That's more like it, sparky."

The chubby grandma-looking nurse came in to remind them that visiting hours were almost done, and that Damon needed to be leaving soon. Technically, he could stay as long as he wanted; he'd already arranged for that before she'd been moved. But she didn't need to know too many details of her care just yet, so it was just enough of a distraction to stall their argument.

"How are they treating you in this joint, anyway?" Damon asked as the nurse finally waddled out of the room.

"Not too bad, considering. But I think they've got me on way too many meds."

"Why?" Damon asked, worry evident in his tone.

"I've had some crazy dreams, Damon. Really. Crazy. Dreams," she laughed. "I got to say goodbye to my parents, and I don't remember a lot… but, _you_ were there. And, believe it or not, you were actually sweet to me."

"Well, then you know it was just the drugs. I don't do _sweet,_" he said, sneering the last word as if it were acid in his mouth.

While he'd lived up to his promise in regards to her last talk with her folks, Damon was shocked that any of their previous encounters had appeared in her dreams; he didn't figure she'd start letting the memories return for many months.

The nurse came in to tell them visiting hours were over and Damon needed to leave _immediately_, so they quickly said their goodbyes. Just as he reached the door, Elena called out to him.

"Will you come back again?"

"I'll be here, Lena," he vowed, his oddly-familiar promise making her smile.

As Elena drifted off to sleep that night, she almost hoped she'd dream of Damon again.

She'd never admit it aloud, and she certainly didn't understand it, but she missed him fiercely already.

**ooOOoo**

The weeks passed slowly for Damon.

He ached to feel her in his arms again, to hear her laughter, to touch her silken hair. Instead, all he got was snarky barbs from a miserable mate.

He'd actually done his best not to provoke the girl, but everything seemed to set her off. The staff said she wasn't sleeping well, even with the medications they were giving her. Elena was hardly eating and had it not been for Damon's help, she'd likely have withered away to nothing.

To top it all off, Damon wasn't even able to see her in their alternate realities anymore. Not for lack of trying on his part either, Elena just wasn't accepting his attempts.

_Who knew they had call-block on the psychic hotline? The crafty little minx!_

All this only meant that no one but Elena was safe from his fury. He'd tried to control his inner-animal, but had failed miserably. Damon was wound too tight; too lonely, hurt, and sexually frustrated, to keep his version of Mr. Hyde caged.

He'd caused a decent amount of carnage in the last several weeks, unable to handle the force of his grief without letting loose his true nature. Each snide remark, each sneer he garnered from Elena chipped away at his self control. Damon had done his best to keep his killing to those members of society who had surrendered their right to life with the choices they made, but occasionally an innocent bystander bore the brunt of his wrath. And while he wanted to be a better man for Elena, he couldn't bring himself to care about the loss of life. As long as he found release, almost no price was too high.

It wasn't until he'd stumbled across that pretty waitress in Georgia that Damon decided it was time for Elena to come home. He'd taken pleasure in the woman's body of course, even granted her release. But afterward, looking into her doe-like eyes… he'd completely lost his composure. Those eyes, so like Elena's, caused such torment that he nearly split her in two as he drank deeply from her slender neck.

Damon understood all too well that Elena was nowhere near ready to accept the truth, he hoped just having her near constantly would be enough to calm the beast within. The physical and emotional distance between them, the hateful remarks, the lack of her touch… he was barely able to restrain his primal urges anymore.

Until his mate accepted him, no one was safe.

Knowing this, he'd been injecting Elena with some of his blood since the night he had taken her memories. Not enough to cause an instant recovery, but just enough to speed her healing process to near detectable levels.

Exposure be damned, for Damon needed her. And his need far outweighed the risks of outing his kind to the world. Maybe she wasn't ready to be his, yet. But at least he'd be able to go to sleep listening to the sounds of Elena's heartbeats, knowing she was safe in his home, if not in his arms.

Damon pulled up to the hospital excited, and yet terrified, to be picking Elena up today. It was May eighteenth, two months to the day of her accident, and she was finally coming home.

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_**Love and hugs to all, thanks for reading!**_

_**Sorry about the slow updates, we're trying to keep things as well-adjusted as possible for my son over this summer after the move. He starts school back up at the beginning of September and I'll be on fire writing then. With his autism, though he's high-functioning, he needs the extra attention after such big life changes. In the meantime, I'll try to update as often as possible on all my stories. **_

_**But rest assured, I have never – nor will I ever – abandon a story. Some just take longer than I'd like to finish, sadly.**_


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